Manipur violence: Candlelight vigil in Imphal over killing of two students. Video

Two students belonging to the Meitei community, who were missing since July, were allegedly kidnapped and killed in violence-hit Manipur.

Amid a fresh bout of violence in Imphal on Tuesday, days after the pictures showing the bodies of two students surfaced on social media in violence-hit Manipur, several people gathered at Khurai Soibam Leikai in the state capital to hold a candlelight vigil in solidarity. In a video posted by the news agency ANI, several people, including children, are seen standing near lit-up candles and paying their respect.

Manipur violence: Candlelight vigil held in Imphal over the killing of two students in the violence-hit state.

A fresh wave of violence has gripped the northeastern state over the killing of two students who had gone missing in July. Soon after the mobile internet services were restored in the state on Tuesday, the photos of the two students went viral on social media.

According to the Manipur Police, the initial probe into the investigation revealed that the two students may have eloped on July 6 but got trapped in an area dominated by the Kuki community while fleeing, after which they were allegedly abducted and murdered. The case has now been transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Several students and residents began massive protests over the incident. During the demonstration, the protesters also reportedly clashed with police and Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel.

Mob tries to attack Manipur CM's ancestral home

Meanwhile, on Thursday night, a protesting mob tried to attack the ancestral house of Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh in Imphal. According to the police, the security forces used several rounds of tear gas shells to stop and disperse the mob.

“Two groups of people came from different directions and approached the CM’s ancestral residence but they were stopped,” the police said.

Violence in Manipur

Violence in the northeastern state first began on May 3 after clashes broke out during a 'Tribal Solidarity March' to protest against the majority Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status. Since then, at least over 170 people have been killed and several hundreds have been injured in the ethnic clashes in the state.

(With inputs from PTI)