Govt Taking All Steps To Trace Missing Meitei Youth In Manipur: Guv Bhalla

IANS, Imphal, March 21 : Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Friday said that the government is making all possible efforts to trace missing youth Luwangthem Mukhesh and reunite him with his family.

Massive searches by the Manipur police and other security forces continued for the sixth day on Friday to locate 20-year-old Meitei youth Mukhesh, who went missing on March 16.

Members of the Joint Action Committee (JAC), who are agitating since the youth was missing and demanding his rescue, along with his parents, met the Governor at Raj Bhavan on Friday evening.

The JAC members and Mukhesh's parents urged the Governor to take urgent steps to locate him and ensure his safe return.

'Governor told the JAC members as well as Mukhesh's parents that the government is making all possible efforts to trace him at the earliest and reunite him with his family,' a Raj Bhavan official said.

Mukhesh's mother also earlier made a fervent appeal to the authorities to ensure the safety of her son.

A police officer said that state police personnel, along with Assam Rifles and other Central force personnel, continued their search operations jointly and separately in Imphal West, Imphal East, Churachandpur, Bishnupur, and Kangpokpi districts to rescue Mukhesh, a resident of Keishampat Lelmajam Leikal area of Imphal West district.

Tracker dogs were also deployed to locate the missing youth while CCTV footage shows his vehicle was last seen in Bishnupur district near Chinikon, close to the Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi district.

Mukhesh was reported missing after driving a car towards the tribal-dominated district Churachandpur on March 16 afternoon. Mukhesh's family members registered a missing person report at the Imphal Police Station.

According to official reports, more than 30 youths belonging to the Meitei community have reportedly gone missing since the ethnic violence broke out in the state 22 months ago.

Meanwhile, Anurag Garg, Director General, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Monika Ashish Batra, Deputy Director General (North Eastern Region), NCB and Prakash Ranjan Mishra, Additional Director and Zonal Director, NCB also called on the Governor at Raj Bhavan. The officers provided a detailed briefing on the various initiatives undertaken by the NCB to combat illicit drug trafficking in the region.

A massive search by the Manipur police and other security forces continued for the fifth day on Thursday to locate 20-year-old Meitei youth Luwangthem Mukhesh, who went missing on March 16, an official said.

A police officer stated that state police personnel, along with Assam Rifles and other Central force personnel, have been conducting search operations jointly and separately in Imphal West, Imphal East, Churachandpur, Bishnupur, and Kangpokpi districts to rescue Mukhesh, a resident of Keishampat Lelmajam Leikal area of Imphal West district.

Tracker dogs were also deployed to locate the missing youth, the official said, adding that Mukhesh was reported missing after driving a car towards the tribal-dominated Churachandpur district on March 16 afternoon.

Mukhesh's family members registered a missing person report at the Imphal Police Station.

"All-out efforts are ongoing to trace Mukhesh by the police personnel and other security forces. Massive search operations are on in all suspected areas," the official said, adding that civil society organisations are also trying to gather inputs about the whereabouts of the missing youth.

He said that CCTV footage shows his vehicle was last seen in Bishnupur district near Chinikon, close to the Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi district.

Protest demonstrations are ongoing in Imphal, demanding that security forces immediately rescue the missing youth.

Holding the demonstration at Keisampat locality, the protestors also demanded that the lives of innocent civilians be protected.

Mukhesh's mother also made a fervent appeal to the authorities to ensure the safety of her son.

According to official reports, more than 30 youths belonging to the Meitei community have reportedly gone missing since ethnic violence broke out in the state 22 months ago.

Meanwhile, Manipur police arrested three cadres of the Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) outfit from Imphal West District and recovered a two-wheeler and four mobile sets.

Additionally, security forces, in their ongoing search operations, recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition from different districts.