Decomposed body of 17-year-old Ngangom Nevy who had been missing since May 28, 2023 was recovered from Sokom village under the jurisdiction of Sugnu police station, Chandel district on Wednesday.
Reports said that the body was recovered after a viral video surfaced on social media, revealing a brutal killing of a person by slitting the throat with a knife by an unknown individual suspected to be belonging to the Kuki community (covering his face with black colour cloth and also holding an arm) on Tuesday.
A district Police team assisted by 37 Assam Rifles and family members conducted a search operation in the said village and later uncovered a suspected burial spot where a dead body was detected. The burial spot was dug and minutely searched with the FSL team in the presence of Executive Magistrate, by observing necessary formalities, said reports.
The decomposed dead body (which was beheaded) was retrieved on Wednesday at around 2.50 pm and necessary examination/inquest of the decomposed body was conducted by observing formalities.
The deceased person was later identified by the family members (from the wearing apparels) as Ngangom Nevy, 17, son of Ng Sanakhomba of Sugnu Awang Mandop Leikai, Kakching district. The decomposed body was later deposited at JNIMS mortuary Porompat for further necessary legal formalities.
Following the recovery of the remains, the JAC formed against the brutal killing of Nevy on Thursday has vehemently called for capital punishment for all those involved in this heinous act.
Despite confirmation of Nevy’s killing by Kuki militants during aggression in Sugnu on May 28, 2023, his body remained elusive until a recent search operation led to the grim discovery.
State security forces, prompted by a viral video depicting the brutal killing, managed to locate the site and recover the skeletal remains.
To verify the identity of the remains, a team of forensic experts has initiated the examination process.
Convenor of the JAC, A Chanthoi, while speaking at the Manipur Press Club in Imphal, strongly condemned the inhuman treatment inflicted by the Kuki militants on Nevy’s body, even after his demise, as seen in the distressing viral video.
According to the JAC, the discovery site is within a proximity of 200 metre range to an Assam Rifles camp.
Expressing dismay, the convenor, pointing fingers at the Assam Rifles stationed nearby who claimed ignorance about the killing, questioned the efficacy of deploying security forces if civilians are left vulnerable to such atrocities.
The JAC, demanding justice, has put forth several demands, including the removal of Assam Rifles from Sugnu and the provision of a suitable government job for a family member.
Serving an ultimatum of one week’s time to address the demands of the JAC, Chanthoi stated that the remains of late Nevy will not be claimed unless the government gave an assurance to fulfill the demands.
While the last rites for Nevy were reportedly conducted months ago, the JAC appealed to the people of Manipur to provide a site for his remains, alongside other martyrs who lost their lives defending against Kuki aggression during the ongoing crisis.
