Protests erupted in Imphal West district on Wednesday as a Joint Action Committee (JAC) issued a three-day ultimatum to authorities, demanding the return of a 56-year-old man who has been missing since Monday. The situation escalated as the Army continued its search operations for the missing individual, Laishram Kamalbabu Singh.
The committee, mainly composed of residents from the Sekmai constituency, staged a sit-in demonstration at Kanto Sabal. Ratan Kumar Singh, the JAC convener, announced that if Kamalbabu is not returned by the end of the three-day period, the group would initiate “intense agitation.” He also declared that workers and contractors from the Imphal valley would be barred from entering the Army camp at Leimakhong in Kangpokpi district until the matter is resolved.
Kamababu, a native of Assam’s Cachar district and a resident of Khukrul in Imphal West, left home on Monday to work at the Leimakhong Military Station. He was employed as a works supervisor for a contractor associated with the Military Engineering Services (MES). When he failed to return home that evening, concerned family members reported him missing, prompting immediate action from the Army. They activated all available resources, including scanning CCTV footage, deploying drones, and utilizing tracker dogs in the search effort. Combing operations in the region were intensified, according to a spokesperson for the Army.
Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh addressed the situation during a press conference, describing it as “unfortunate.” He confirmed that the missing man had been working inside the Army campus and was last in contact with his family until about 2:30 PM on the day he disappeared, after which his phone was turned off. Singh noted that the police had already registered a zero FIR and that investigations were ongoing.
In a troubling turn of events, Kamalbabu’s family has alleged that Kuki militants may be responsible for his abduction, further complicating an already tense situation. This claim follows recent violent incidents where six individuals from the Meitei community, including women and children, were found murdered after going missing from a camp, which ignited widespread public outrage. The unrest has resulted in protestors vandalizing the homes of lawmakers and even attempting to attack the ancestral homes of Chief Minister Singh.
As the search for Laishram Kamalbabu Singh continues, the JAC’s ultimatum and the surrounding turmoil highlight the growing tensions in the region, with community divisions further exacerbating the crisis.
