Manipur govt to hand over human skull probe to central agencies

Imphal, Dec 30: Manipur government will hand over the investigation into the recovery of eight human skulls to a central investigating agency to find out the truth.

Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh's secretary N Ashok Kumar said the police had registered a case on the recovery of the skulls and a number of skeletons during excavation at the Tombisana High School complex, which is not being presently used, on December 25 and December 26.

"Considering the sensitivity, complexity and technical issues involved in the investigation, the state government has decided to hand over the case to a central investigation agency like CBI or NIA," Kumar said.

Various social organisations in separate statements demanded DNA tests of each human skull and skeletons recovered from the former school complex.

They have demanded a thorough probe into the matter, saying so many innocent youths who were arrested during the peak of insurgency between 1980 and 1999 had disappeared and their whereabouts have not been known till Monday.

Tombisana High School complex in the heart of Imphal city was occupied by central paramilitary forces during the peak of insurgent activities in early 1980s. The social organisations in their statements mentioned the names of those youths who were arrested and had never returned homes during 1980s.

PTI