Guwahati: A three-year-old boy, one of six family members allegedly kidnapped and killed by Kuki militants in Manipur’s Jiribam district earlier this month, suffered multiple injuries, an autopsy report has revealed. The boy was found to have been struck by blunt objects and shot in the head and face.  

According to reports from Times of India, the autopsy conducted at Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH) also confirmed that the boy's mother and grandmother died from bullet wounds and other injuries. The bodies of the victims, all part of a family abducted from a relief camp, were discovered in the Barak River, which flows from Jiribam in Manipur to Cachar in Assam.  

Detailed autopsy findings

The autopsy report detailed the brutal nature of the injuries sustained by the victims. The young boy was found to have suffered blunt trauma to his chest and hand, possibly from a rod or similar object.

When the body of the three-year-old boy was found on November 17, it was in a highly decomposed state. The child’s right eye was missing, and a deep penetrating bullet wound was found on the left side of his chin. Medical experts confirmed that the child had also suffered a lacerated injury on his left forearm, caused by a blunt weapon. 

The boy's mother, L Heitonbi Devi, aged 25, was also found to have been shot multiple times in the chest and back. Her body showed signs of advanced decomposition, indicating she likely died at least two days before her son and grandmother.  

His grandmother, Y Rani Devi, 60, also had several bullet wounds to her chest, skull, abdomen, and arm. The report suggests that her death occurred around the same time as the boy’s.  

The family, consisting of three women and three children, was abducted by Kuki militants from a relief camp in Jiribam on November 11. The group of internally displaced Meitei people had fled their homes earlier this year due to ongoing violence and had been living in a nearby camp.  

Along with the six victims, two elderly individuals were also killed by militants in an encounter with CRPF and police forces in the area. The bodies of the victims were recovered later, triggering widespread anger in Manipur.  

Search for justice  

The discovery of the bodies sparked public outrage, leading to violent protests in Imphal Valley, with mobs targeting the residences of several ministers and MLAs, demanding justice for the victims. Chief Minister N Biren Singh has confirmed that search operations are underway to locate those responsible for the killings.