Hand Grenade and note found outside house of missing Manipur supervisor

Imphal (The Uttam Hindu): On Thursday a live hand grenade was discovered outside the rented house of Laishram Kamalbabu Singh a missing supervisor for a contractor at a military station in Manipur. Singh who has been missing for about 40 days resided at Loitang Khunou in Imphal West district. Authorities responded swiftly with a police team arriving to retrieve the grenade which was defused by experts. Alongside the grenade a note was found demanding the disbandment of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) and the formation of a new one.The JAC alongside several other organizations including Meira Paibis (women vigilantes in Manipur) has been leading protests to secure the release of Kamalbabu Singh who disappeared on November 25. In response to growing concerns the Manipur government handed over the investigation to the CBI last week.

Meanwhile the search for Singh continues with around 2,000 soldiers from the Army and Assam Rifles conducting intensive operations. Sources revealed that the forces are engaging with village leaders reviewing CCTV footage and interviewing Singh’s colleagues. Sniffer dogs are also being deployed in the ongoing efforts.Singh a resident of Gossaipur in Assam’s Cachar district had been working as a supervisor for a contractor at the Leimakhong military station. He had left for the station on November 25 but vanished without a trace. Authorities and local organizations have urged the intervention of senior officials including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to expedite the search.The JAC and other groups have also appealed to Manipur’s Chief Minister N. Biren Singh to ensure that all efforts are made to locate Singh. The Chief Minister had previously called on the Army to take full responsibility for finding Singh. State Social Welfare Minister Heikham Dingo Singh confirmed that all documents related to the case have been forwarded to the Prime Minister's Office and the Defence and Home Ministries.The Manipur High Court has formed a committee to investigate Singh's disappearance. The Leimakhong military station located 16 km from Imphal, is situated in an area predominantly inhabited by Kuki-Zo-Hmar tribes and the region has been affected by ethnic violence since May last year. Following the unrest many Meitei people were forced to flee areas near the Leimakhong station.