Manipur killings: JTC gives Centre, state 48 hours to recover Naga man's missing head
The headless body of Ajinbou Ringkangmai, one of the victims of the killings in Manipur's Makui Asang and Tapon Naga villages, arrived at the mortuary of the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) in Imphal around midnight on Sunday, while the Joint Tribes Council (JTC-Manipur) issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Centre and the state government to recover his missing head.
The JTC-Manipur has refused to allow the post-mortem examination of Ajinbou and another victim, Dibambou Ringkangmai, to proceed until Ajinbou's missing head is recovered and handed over to his family for a dignified burial, the council's representatives said.
Several people gathered at the JNIMS mortuary to offer condolences to the bereaved family and express solidarity with the victims and affected Naga communities.
Speaking to reporters at the mortuary, JTC-Manipur representatives said the council had given the governments 48 hours to recover the missing head and take action against those allegedly responsible for the killings.
The council's working committee represents the Inpui, Liangmai, Rongmei and Zeme communities. It described the incident as a grave crime against humanity and accused the Centre and the Manipur government of failing to ensure justice for the victims.
The JTC also alleged that those responsible for the killings were operating with impunity under the protection of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement.
Demanding arrests, the council named Thangboi Kipgen, David Hangsing and Dr Sailen Haokip in its statement and called on the authorities to initiate legal proceedings against them. The allegations against the individuals have not been independently established in the report.
The council warned that it would take stringent measures if its demands were not met within 48 hours.
It maintained that the recovery and return of Ajinbou's missing head were essential before the post-mortem examinations could be conducted, adding that it would not accept further delays in securing justice for the victims and their families.
