GUWAHATI: The Manipur government on Friday asked the army to find out a 56-year-old man reported missing from the Leimakhong Army camp in the Kangpokpi district on November 25, even as educational institutes reopened in the Imphal valley and Jiribam district after a gap of 13 days.
Addressing a press conference, Chief Minister N Biren Singh said the state government had asked the army to take the responsibility of tracing the man, Laishram Kamalbabu Singh who is from the Meitei community. He hails from the Loitang Khunoy locality falling under the Sekmai Assembly segment. Earlier, an FIR was lodged with the police over his disappearance.
Singh said Sekmai MLA Dingo Singh and members of a Joint Action Committee (JAC), formed in connection with the man’s disappearance, met him on Thursday and submitted a memorandum, addressed to the Prime Minister.
He said the JAC and the residents demanded the immediate rescue of the missing person.
“His whereabouts are still unknown. The state government has urged army and central government officials to trace him,” Singh said.
As tension is building over the incident, he appealed to people to stay calm.
Meanwhile, educational institutes reopened in the Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur, Kakching, Thoubal (all in Imphal valley) and Jiribam districts.
The decision on the resumption of classes was taken following an improvement in the law and order situation. Curfew was relaxed from 5 am to 4 pm.
According to official sources, the schools recorded a turnout of around 80%. The sources said there was a lot of excitement among students to be back in school.
“The turnout in my zone was 79%-80%. The children were very enthusiastic,” Sucheta Khumukcham, zonal education officer, Imphal West district, told this newspaper.
“I feel the turnout will increase in the coming days,” she added.
The government had earlier ordered the closure of educational institutions due to widespread protests against the recent killings of three women and three children in Jiribam.