High alert sounded in Manipur as 14 minors go missing

Imphal, Jul 18 (UNI) The police has issued high alert in Manipur as 14 children, including three girls, reportedly went missing from the state during the past one week.

Police said while six missing reports of children were registered on Wednesday, another report of a girl's abduction was received yesterday. All the children were in the age group of 11-16 years.

Earlier, the number of missing children was stated to be 20, out of which six had managed either to escape or were released. Police suspected that most of the abducted minors had either gone on their own will or lured by the ultras to join their outfits.

Two inmates from the Manipur Mahila home, who went missing, managed to escape from the custody of their kidnappers. Two more kids from Iroishemba, Imphal West, had been handed over to their parents by cadres of People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak, Cobra (PREPAK).

A teenaged boy studying in CC Higher Secondary School, Imphal managed to escape from the clutches of unknown armed persons last night. On the other hand, another girl, identified as Longjam Jenebi(15) of class VIII in Haobam Marak Girls' High School, has been reportedly missing from Pishum Oinam Leikai neighbourhood since July 13.

Leishangthem Bipinchandra (17), while he was going to buy pen and exercise books, was overpowered by two unidentified armed persons who were followed him from behind. However, he managed to escape when one of the miscreants was attending a call on his mobile phone.

Meanwhile, the All Manipur College Teachers' Association and other organisations have appealed to the outfits not to kidnap children.

State Director General of Police (DGP) Yumnam Joykumar said red alert had been sounded and all police stations were on vigil to stop the kidnapping spree.

UNI NS SB RD 1341