GUWAHATI: The bodies of three women were discovered near the Assam-Manipur border by the Assam Rifles, sparking concerns over their possible connection to six individuals abducted from Manipur's Jiribam district by armed militants.
The abductees included three women and three minors, whose families remain in distress, anxiously awaiting news of their safe return.
The Assam Rifles handed over to the Assam Police the recovered bodies, who took them to Silchar Medical College and Hospital for post-mortem examinations. Preliminary reports do signal some possibility that the deceased could be the abducted woman, but there have been no confirmations as yet.
"The bodies have been sent to Silchar for identification but so far remain unidentifiable. They were found 15-20 km from the spot where the family of six was abducted. If the policemen fail to identify, DNA tests will be done," a policeman said anonymously.
An Assam Rifles official confirmed the discovery but said much would be known only after the identification and investigation are completed. "Information is available after the process of identification and investigation," the official further said.
The break comes days after a shocking attack by militants on a police station in the Borobekra area of Jiribam on November 11. While security forces could repel the militants' attack, killing 11 militants, it is alleged that the retreating group kidnaped six locals. The captives, including three women and three minors, hailed from the Meitei community and were reportedly lifted from a relief camp near the police station.
Since the abduction, the security forces have mounted intense operations to find the kidnapped people. In addition, the security forces have kept vigil in the area by coordinating with the police and the paramilitary forces to gather information and make the surroundings safe for vulnerable people.
As the probe deepens, the authorities could not develop the linkage between the bodies recovered so far and the Jiribam abduction case due to the absence of fuller evidence. Whether the bodies were related to the abduction case or not will be clear with the post-mortem report and subsequent forensic analysis.
It is yet another dark page in the saga of decades-long turmoil in the region that calls for peace and reconciliation initiatives on an urgent note.
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