Imphal: An eight-year-old girl, who had been staying at a government-run relief camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs), was found murdered on the Imphal riverbed early on Monday morning.
The victim, identified as Oinam Chanu, daughter of Oinam Basant, was discovered at the riverbank under the Singjamei bridge within the jurisdiction of the Irilbung police station in Imphal East district around 1 a.m. She had been reported missing from the Singjamei Akampat relief camp since 1 p.m. on Saturday.
A team from the district police and forensic science experts recovered the body and conducted a preliminary site investigation. Initial findings by experts suggest the girl was sexually assaulted and killed.
Police have detained a suspect, identified as Laishram Lanngamba, 28, for interrogation. Officials confirmed that both the suspect and the victim were residents of the same relief camp and were originally from Moreh Khunou in Tengnoupal district. They had been taking shelter at the facility since the outbreak of ethnic violence on May 3, 2023.
Following the discovery of the body, a group of irate camp inmates gathered at the Irilbung police station, demanding that the suspect be handed over to them.
The body of the deceased has been deposited at the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS), Imphal East, for a post-mortem examination. Police confirmed that a case has been registered and further investigation is underway to establish the sequence of events.