Manipur High Court Institutes Committee to Trace Missing Meitei Man

The court formed the committee to enquire whether the allegedly missing Meitei person was abducted or fled on his own.

Guwahati: About a week after a Meitei man went missing from near an Army camp in Imphal, the Manipur High Court on Wednesday instituted a committee to carry out an inquiry into the disappearance of the man.

A Bench of the Manipur High Court headed by Justice D Krishnakumar and Justice Golmei Gaiphulshillu on Wednesday suggested the committee for enquiry into the missing person who was abducted or fled for personal reasons and remained missing since November 25.

The court has constituted the Committee consisting of District Magistrate, Kangpokpi District, Superintendent of Police, Kangpokpi, Superintendent of Police, Imphal West and the Commanding Officer of 57 Mountain Division of Indian Army for conducting enquiry regarding the missing of the said person whether the said person has been abducted in the said camp or fled on his own.

It may be mentioned here that the first hearing of the petition took place on November 27 where the Court issued notices to all the parties. The committee was mandated to probe whether the man had been kidnapped in the Army camp or fled on his own.

“The District Magistrate, being head of the committee, shall serve notice to the petitioner or family members of the petitioner to appear before the committee for enquiry and the enquiry report will be filed before the High Court on the next hearing on December 11", stated the High Court order issued on Wednesday.

The petitioner had, however, claimed that the missing person, identified as Laishram Kamalbabu Singh, was kidnapped by Kuki militants from the high-security zone of the Leimakhong Army campus.

Manipur police has said that massive joint search operations by Manipur Police assisted by Indian Army are being undertaken with effect from November 25 to trace Laishram Kamal Babu Singh who has been missing since November 25. Police said that the Indian Army has extended all support and resources to trace him utilising 2000 plus troops, helicopters, drones and Army tracker dogs. Further investigation using technical intelligence is being undertaken”.

Recently, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh had also asked the army authorities to take major responsibility in finding Laishram Kamalbabu Singh.

Kamal Babu Singh was a resident of Cachar district in southern Assam and now staying at Loitang Khunou village in Imphal West. He had left his residence on November 25 to go to the Leimakhong military station where he works but did not report to the Army station in Kangpokpi. Singh’s mobile phone has also been switched off since he left home, the family members said, forcing them to file a missing report.

Kamal Babu Singh has been working as a works supervisor for a contractor working with Military Engineering Services (MES) at the Leimakhong Military Station.