Centre should be ashamed of its 'inaction': Priyanka Gandhi on killing of 2 Manipur students

With photographs of the bodies of two Manipur students who had been missing going viral, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday alleged that horrific crimes are being allowed to continue unabated in the state and said that the Centre should be ashamed of its 'inaction'.

Hours after the photos of the bodies of two students, who had been missing since July, went viral on social media, the Manipur government asked people to exercise restraint and allow authorities to investigate the 'kidnapping and killing' of the duo. The two students were identified as Phijam Hemjit (20) and Hijam Linthoingambi (17).

In a post on X, Priyanka Gandhi said, "More shocking news from Manipur. Children are the most vulnerable victims of ethnic violence. It is our duty to do all we can to protect them. The horrific crimes being committed in Manipur are beyond words, yet they are being allowed to continue unabated."

"The central government should be ashamed of its inaction," the Congress general secretary said.

In a statement issued by the secretariat of Chief Minister N Biren Singh late on Monday night, the state government said the case has already been handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

"The state police, in collaboration with the central security agencies, are actively investigating the case to determine the circumstances surrounding their disappearance and to identify the perpetrators who murdered the two students. The security forces have also started the search operation to nab the perpetrators," the statement said.