Assam: Body Found in Barak River Sparks Alarm Amid Manipur Violence

LAKHIPUR: Another body was retrieved from the Barak River in Assam on Monday. This raised the death toll in incidents like these within a week to six deaths. The latest discovery has intensified the fears of a possible link to the ethnic violence that has been going on for months in neighboring Manipur.

The body, identified as that of 25-year-old Laishram Heitombi Devi, was found around 1 PM in the Nungai area of Singerband Part-4, Lakhipur. Local fishermen initially spotted the body floating in the river and alerted authorities. A team from Lakhipur Police Station retrieved it soon after.

This was on a tragic day following a day when two other bodies, including a female and a child, had been retrieved from different parts of the same river. The pattern of the discoveries has caused much concern among residents in Assam and Manipur, who are asking how such violence in Manipur could be connected with this gruesome discovery.

As of now, the authorities have not confirmed any direct connection between the deaths and the violence erupting in Manipur. However, the timing and nature of the incidents have raised a strong suspicion. Ethnic clashes in Manipur have claimed numerous lives, displaced thousands, and severely disrupted normalcy since the violence broke out earlier this year.

The unrest, marked by deep-seated tensions between communities, has a rippling effect on neighboring regions such as Assam. Hence, reports of increased security threats and cross-border implications are growing calls for urgent action.

Community leaders and activists have demanded an intensive investigation into the recent killings with complete transparency. "We cannot rule out that these incidents might be involved in violence in Manipur," said a local leader. "That means it is a severe escalation of the conflict and a spillover."

Residents have expressed fear and frustration over the escalating security situation. "The Barak River is now a grim reminder of the conflict's reach beyond borders. Immediate steps are needed to restore peace," said one resident of Lakhipur.

While the fallout from Manipur's crisis weighs heavily over Assam, the two states are at the mercy of whoever is in charge of both administrations. There never was a greater need to converge on public safety and peace with wholesome efforts.

Investigations are still in progress, and both for the recent deaths and the broad conflict that took the lives of so many people, the region waits with bated breath for answers.

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