Skeleton found near BSF camp in Manipur

Imphal: A human skeleton was found near a BSF camp, about 10 km from here, and a human rights activist said there was no accounting for the numerous people missing during the height of the armed insurgency in Manipur.

The skeleton was sighted on Saturday night, 100 metres from a Border Security Force (BSF) camp at Koirengei in Imphal East district, about 10 km from the state capital, sources said.

Forensic scientists have collected samples for testing.

Samples will have to be sent either to Kolkata or Hyderabad as there is no facility for DNA profiling in Manipur, L Fimate, who heads the forensic science department of JN Institute of Medical Sciences here, told IANS on Sunday.

The results of the DNA profiling should reach the Manipur government in a month or so, he said.

Khaidem Mani, a human rights activist, told IANS that the Supreme Court was looking into a complaint that at least 1,528 people were missing since the height of the armed insurgency in Manipur.

"Compensations were paid to the family members of some victims, but nobody had been booked and sent to prison. Most of the missing persons are feared to be victims of fake encounters whose bodies were secretly disposed of," Mani said.

He said the government should order a probe to establish the identity of the person whose skeleton was found near the BSF camp.

"It is also disappointing that so far nothing has been heard of the testing of the skeletons found in the past in Manipur."

On December 25 and 26, 2014, eight human skulls and several skeletal remains were found at the Tombisana high school, located in the heart of Imphal city.

Human rights activists had then demanded a high level probe fearing that these skeletons may belong to some missing persons.