IMPHAL, April 10: Multiple bullet-riddled dead bodies of a civilian and a commando personal of Moreh were found today morning at Gogaijang village on the Myanmar side some seven kilometers away from the Moreh police station.
Meanwhile, angered locals took out a rally soon after getting information about the recovery of the two dead and held a meeting later in the evening.
The meeting demanded clarification behind the killings and further warned of stern forms of agitations if fake blames were put on the two.
The duo had reportedly gone out for a fishing trip at Maklang river yesterday at around 11 am along with 7 other civilians who are said to have been kidnapped by suspected unidentified underground militant groups who were already present in the area.
Locals of Moreh staged a rally in Moreh town and all shops of the town remained closed marking their protest against the killing of the two and demanding safe release of the seven held.
The seven had since then been released by their alleged kidnappers, informed our Moreh correspondent.
The two dead have been identified as Thangjam Birjeet, 33, son of Bihari of Ningthemba Makha Leikai Jiribam sub division Imphal East district, a Riflemen of 3 IRB attached to the Thoubal commando and Chanabam Anil, 38, son of Rajkumar of Moreh Prem Nagar ward number 4.
The post mortem of both the bodies has been conducted at the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences and the dead bodies handed over to their respective family later in the evening.
The seven others who went out for fishing along with the two victims are identified as Saorokhaibam Bhogendro, 31, Seleibam Tanu, 25, Paonam Bhim, 27, Paonam Imo alias Motea, 32 all from Moreh Prem Nagar ward number 4 and Th Ahanjao, 29, Kh Devan, 37 both from Moreh ward number 5 and A Dinesh, 28 from Moreh ward number 3.
Locals who were present at JNIMS morgue said that they condemned the killing of the two and appealed to release all the seven who are in the custody of the suspected UGs as all of them are innocent people who had gone out for fishing in the area.
One woman claimed that the locals of Moreh came to know about their abduction by the suspected UGs yesterday at around 1.pm after all of them went out for fishing in the area at around 11 am yesterday.
The multiple bullet riddled bodies were recovered on the Myanmar side of the river on Maklang bank at Gogaijang area. The Commandant of the 3rd Indian Reserved Battalion H Jogeshchandra was also present at the JNIMS morgue where the post mortem of the two was conducted.
Meanwhile, our Moreh correspondent added that the two dead bodies were found from near the international border fencing near the Govajang village some 7 kms North east of the Moreh Police Station.
Sources said that the nine had gone fishing along the Maklan River in four two wheelers- an Activa moped, Access, Dio and FZ motorcycle.
Soon after receiving information about the recovery of the two dead bodies near the border fencing, a Moreh Police team led by SDPO Moreh H Balram and OC CDO Moreh RK Binodjit rushed to the spot and found that one of the dead was Birjit Singh of Cdo Moreh.
After the nine failed to return till late last night, their family members filed their missing reports with the Moreh police late last night itself and tried to confirm their whereabouts but to no avail, informed a source.
Following reports that two of the nine missing have been found dead, angered Moreh locals closed the Moreh market and all passenger vehicles for Imphal left in a hurry.
Meira paibis and womenfolk of the area came out in large numbers at around 10am and took out a rally and later held a public meeting.
The rally started from Moreh Thongkhong (Bridge) and after passing through Moreh Ward No 1 and the Sunrise Club ground concluded at the Moreh Ward No 4 community hall.
The rally was participated by representatives of the Meitei Council Moreh; Hill Tribal Council, Moreh; Kuki Women Union; Human Rights, Moreh; Tamil Sangam, Moreh; Minority Women Development Society, Moreh; Kha Nongpok Apunba Nupi Lup, Moreh; Nupi Khunai Chaokhat Lamjing Lup, Moreh and people from the Nepali, Punjabi, Tamil and Bihari and other indigenous communities.
Meanwhile a press statement of the Meitei Council, Moreh has said that around ten thousand people from all communities holding placards took out a rally in protest against the alleged killing of Chanambam Anil and Birjit Singh at Moreh Town.
A public meeting which was held at Moreh Pramnagar Mandap after the rally passed resolutions including demand for clarification behind the killings and to launched further agitations if fake blames are put on the deceased.