IMPHAL, December 26: Workers at the compound of the erstwhile Tombisana High School were left dumbfounded yesterday evening as they recovered human skulls, skeletons and other objects while digging earth for the construction of the fourth Ima Keithel.
The seven skulls and some skeletons were recovered around 2:30 pm yesterday while another skull was recovered this morning from Mantripukhri where the excavated earth from the site were dumped.
The school compound is located opposite to the Assembly Secretariat (Old Assemly Campus) just behind the Imphal Municipal Council compound and is about 100 metre far from the City Police Station.
According to a caretaker of the work implementing agency M/S Simplex Project ltd, the fourth Ima Keithel will also have similar designs as the previous three Ima Keithels.
The only difference would be the inclusion of a car parking in the ground floor of the fourth keithel, he said.
Excavation work had started since December 13, after the State PWD handed over the work to the company, he said.
He said a JCB was initially used for the excavation work, however, on December 17, the company started using a poclain machinery in order to expedite the process.
He said the earth excavated from the site were transported in trucks to the under construction New Secretariat Building at Mantripukhri. The company is also involved in the construction of the New Secretariat building.
Labourers of the company found a human skull and some skeletons while leveling the earth at the Mantripukhri site. Six more skulls were recovered from the erstwhile school campus. Another skull and some skeletons were also found this morning from the excavated earth at the Mantripukhri site, he continued.
It is also learnt that the skulls and skeletons were recovered from the earth excavated on December 24.
Meanwhile, the locations from where the skulls were recovered had been marked by erecting sticks.
Soon after getting information, addl SP (ops) Imphal West district had inspected the Mantripukhri site yesterday.
A team of the Imphal East police led by an SDPO also visited the site.
The police said they were informed about the recovery by the State Works minister who was informed by the company.
Meanwhile, the Heingang Police registered a case in this regard and deposited the recovered skulls and skeletons this afternoon around 2:45 at the JNIMS Morgue for the conduct of forensic tests.
It may be mentioned that the compound of the school was used to camp central para-military force including CRPF and the later by State Police Commandos.
Meanwhile, scholars of Anthropology department, Manipur University had inspected the skulls and skeletons recovered, but there is still no official confirmation or identification of sexes and age of the skulls and skeletons.
Meanwhile veteran politician O Joy said although the exact dates cannot be ascertained it is believed that there was a mortuary where the Mass Hotel stands now.
He said there are also stories of a powerful minister of a king living where the Speaker`™s residence stands now.