Security forces on Sunday morning recovered the bodies of two young men from Kangpokpi district who had remained missing since October 29. The deceased have been identified as 21-year-old Thangginlun Chongloi and 20-year-old Paoginlal Hangsing, both residents of Taphou Kuki village. Their discovery from a rugged hilly area in Senapati district comes amid heightened security deployment across the region.
Early Morning Coordinated Security Operation
The breakthrough came during a coordinated operation launched around 3:30 am on Sunday by multiple security contingents. After hours of navigating dense terrain, search teams located the two bodies at approximately 7:30 am. The recovery took place along SP Road, roughly 13 to 14 kilometres east of National Highway-2. Personnel from the Manipur Police, Assam Rifles, CRPF, CoBRA and RAF jointly participated in this operation.
Four Days of Extensive Combing Operations
The recovery followed four consecutive days of rigorous search activities carried out along the border areas of Kangpokpi and Senapati districts. Law enforcement and paramilitary forces, including the police, CRPF and Assam Rifles, systematically combed through diverse tracts of forest and settlements. Ground teams covered several designated locations such as Taphou Onaeme, Taphou Liangmei, Marenmei, Upper Marenmei and the surrounding forested stretches before tracking the location.
Autopsy Procedures and District Shutdown Context
Police confirmed that both bodies are being transported to Kangpokpi for post-mortem examinations, with standard legal procedures currently underway. The recovery occurred against the backdrop of an extended public shutdown observed in Kangpokpi district. The Committee on Tribal Unity had declared a 48-hour total shutdown beginning October 29 to demand the immediate and safe return of the two youths, subsequently extending it by another 24 hours on October 31 after authorities could not locate them safely.
Pursuit of Perpetrators Underway
Officials stated that intensive search and combing operations are continuing throughout the locality to trace and apprehend those responsible for the deaths. High alert and increased patrolling remain in effect across the border routes between Kangpokpi and Senapati to maintain order and secure the vicinity.
