Imphal: The High Court of Manipur at Imphal on Monday directed the state government to submit a further Action Taken Report (ATR) on unresolved cases involving missing persons following the 2023 ethnic conflict.
The direction was issued during the hearing of Public Interest Litigation (PIL) No. 3 of 2026, filed by the Families of Involuntarily Disappeared Association, Manipur (FIDAM) and another petitioner against the Union of India and eight respondents.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice M. Sundar and Justice Ahanthem Bimol Singh heard the matter.
The petitioners were represented by advocates W. Basantakumar and Kohai Angshil, while Additional Advocate General S. Chittaranjan appeared for the Manipur government. State counsel A. Priyokumar Sharma represented respondents No. 3 and 4, the Director General of Police and the Superintendent of Police, Bishnupur district.
During the proceedings, the Additional Advocate General informed the court that an initial ATR had been prepared and that four cases involving eight missing persons had been transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
However, counsel appearing for the petitioners submitted that the PIL covers 16 separate cases involving 23 missing persons. The state government acknowledged that instructions were still awaited in the remaining 12 cases involving 15 missing persons and sought time to consult the Home Commissioner.
The petition states that several people remain unaccounted for after disappearing during the ethnic violence in Manipur, despite FIRs being registered and investigations being carried out by the state police.
One of the cases cited in the petition is FIR No. 14(5) of 2023 registered at Phougakchao Ikhai Police Station concerning the disappearance of Naorem Prakash Singh, Leichombam Suraj and Thongam Shyam Singh. According to the petition, the three youths were allegedly abducted on May 11, 2023, from Torbung Bangla while they were trying to retrieve belongings from their homes that had been burnt during the violence.
A complaint related to the case was also filed before the Manipur Human Rights Commission (MHRC). The commission disposed of the complaint on July 11, 2024, directing the police to provide periodic updates to the complainants. The petitioners, however, claimed that no such updates were subsequently provided.
A status report submitted by the Bishnupur SP on June 20, 2024, described the case as sensitive and stated that a proposal to transfer the investigation to the CBI had been sent to the DGP on January 4, 2024.
Another case mentioned in the PIL is FIR No. 196(9) of 2023, registered at Bishnupur Police Station, concerning the disappearance of Maisnam Malemnganba, G. Bony Sharma and P. Abinash on June 3, 2023.
The petition said mobile tower analysis and geolocation tracking indicated that the three had last moved towards an area near Kwakta, which is dominated by the Kuki community. Searches conducted by the state authorities, however, failed to yield any conclusive leads, according to the petition.
The High Court also formally issued notice to respondent No. 2, the State of Manipur through its Home Commissioner, which was accepted by the Additional Advocate General.
The Bench directed the state government to place an updated and comprehensive ATR on record, covering the remaining cases, before the matter is listed again.