Manipur: Grim Details Emerge in Murder of Meitei Family in Jiribam District

IMPHAL: The postmortem report, which brings to light the harrowing circumstances of the death of three alleged abduction and murder victims of a Meitei family on November 11 in Jiribam district during clashes with security forces, is pathetic and gruesome.

According to reports, the child who was only 3 years old, and two other members were shot from multiple directions before their bodies were found dumped in a river.

One of the victims was the toddler who reportedly received a gunshot wound to the chin. His right eye was missing-an injury that has horrified many.

The post-mortem also proved evidence of extreme blunt trauma: the face and body are riddled with a multitude of lacerations. The body was in an advanced stage of decomposition and infested with maggots.

The mother sustained two gunshot wounds at her back, while the grandmother had five bullet wounds, which indicated a worst kind of brutal assault on the family.

Decomposed bodies were recovered from Assam's Lakhipur district river on different dates - November 15, 17, and 18. Investigators believe that murders took place on the same day of abducting the family members.

On November 12, a family photograph appeared on social media: it was reportedly taken after their abduction. In an image showing them crouching in a dense forest, they have raised as many questions about the abduction and the perpetrators' motive. Currently, authorities are tracing the source of the account on Facebook where the photograph was shared.

The case was finally handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on 18 November, and the probe is now being spearheaded by it. The NIA team has already visited Jiribam as part of its probe.

The autopsies were conducted at Silchar Medical College in Assam where the full extent of injury suffered by the victims had been documented.

The killing has sparked outrage across Manipur and beyond. Civil society organizations and political leaders have condemned the act as barbaric. The killings helped to point out the already recurring violence and unrest within the region, forcing calls for justice and accountability even more.

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