Three of four missing firewood collectors found dead in hill range of Manipur

Imphal: Of the four firewood collectors who went missing on Wednesday, three including a father and his son were found killed by unknown miscreants at Haotak Village in Manipur’s Kumbi assembly constituency in the southern part of the state on Thursday, officials said.

Four persons belonging to the Meitei community namely Ahanthem Dara Singh (55), Oinam Romen Meitei (45), Thoudam Ibomcha (53), and his son Thoudam Anand (27) went to collect firewood from Haotak Mapalok Chakpi hill range lies along inter-district of Bishnupur and Churachandpur on Wednesday.

However, the whereabouts of Ahanthem Dara Singh (55) is yet to be known but the three others including father and son are found dead.

The bodies of the slain persons were collected by the state forces after a massive manhunt for the past 24 hours, the police said.

The incident happened after the militants attacked Haotak village from the top of the hill range known as Meisnam Chingsang hill range in the adjoining areas of Bishnupur and Churachandpur at around 3.20 pm on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, additional security forces have reportedly rushed to the spot and rescue measures are taking up at the suspected locations, the police added.