IMPHAL, December 5: A family’s ordeal over their missing son, ended in a macabre manner, five days after the infant went missing with the recovery of the body under suspicious circumstances today.
The body, which was recovered from a pond just 200 meters from the infant’s house this early morning was deposited at the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences JNIMS morgue and post mortem conducted.
However, the JAC formed in connection with the missing child has decided not to accept the body until the mystery surrounding the death is cleared and the real cause behind the death is known.
Meanwhile, a statement of the Kakching Police has said that in case the body remains unclaimed till 1 pm of December 6, it will be consigned to flames by taking the consent of the district magistrate.
A JAC member said the body will be accepted only after a full medical report is received.
After the body was fished out from the pond, all his jewellery including silver chain, silver trinkets, gold earring and dress were found intact except for his pants, ruling out involvement of jewellery robbery from the incident.
One and half year old Phanjoubam Leishemba son of Ph Ijouba and Chaobi of Tekcham Mamang Leikai went missing since the late afternoon of December 1.
A massive hunt had been launched ever since, and locals had held a mass protest rally yesterday against the incident.
A woman identified as Shyama wife of Langpoklakpam Bokul found the infant’s body floating at their pond today around 5 am when she had gone to fetch water.
The pond is located just 200 meters from Leishemba’s home, said a JAC member. JAC members and locals were informed by the woman, who in turn informed the police.
Minutes later, the police arrived followed by a team of the state forensic experts for investigation of the scene.
Their investigation and examination of the scene ended by 9:30 am and the body was fished out.
Leishemba was first found missing by his mother around 7.30 pm of December 1 from her bed where he was left sleeping in the afternoon by a four-year-old cousin of the infant.
The mother runs a hotel at Tekcham Bazar , while the father works as a goldsmith and both were not at home when Leishemba went missing.
A massive manhunt was soon launched and a case registered with the concerned police station.