Two missing Indians presumed dead

Imphal, May 14: Two Indians said to be missing in Myanmar since May 2 are presumed dead, intelligence sources told IANS.

The sources told IANS on Saturday that chances of survival of the two men who had gone for fishing to Myanmar are very slender. The family members are also not so hopeful.

The two Indians, Mohammad Jalanuddin, 30, and Mohammad Kheiruddin, 24, of Muslim Basti at Moreh, the border town in Manipur had left on May 2 morning ostensibly to fish trout in Myanmar.

However, they never returned home.

Police sources said: “A missing report was lodged with the police station at Moreh. We made inquiry and the Myanmarese authority assured us that all available information would be shared.”

Till date no such information has come.

Meanwhile, the residents of Moreh got local information that bodies of two persons were sighted at Wukshu village in Myanmar. A team led by the representatives of the Muslim Council Moreh went there. However no dead body was found.

Suspecting foul play the Hill Tribes Council, the Meitei Council Moreh, the Muslim Council Moreh, Tamil Sangam Moreh, the Indo-Myanmar Workers Forum, Gorkha Samiti and others called a 24-hour shutdown at Moreh on May 9 during which the intertiol border was sealed off. On May 9 night there was stone pelting along the intertiol border during which at least 10 persons who sustained injuries were hospitalised.

Some Muslim organisations came to Moreh to express sympathy with the families.

Police officials said that in the absence of feedback from Myanmar there is nothing that could be done.

This is the first instance of Indians who intruded into Myanmar for fishing going missing. (IANS)