SENAPATI, March 31: The Zomi Council (ZC) has called for the application of the same yardstick by the Manipur government in dealing with missing person cases, following the announcement of a Rs 10 lakh reward for information about the missing Luwangthem Mukesh. Mukesh, a 20-year-old college student, has been missing since March 16, 2025, and the government has promised a significant reward to locate him.
In a rejoinder to the Home Department’s press release dated March 29, 2025, the ZC accused the state government of partiality and highlighted the stark difference in how the case of Mukesh has been handled compared to missing persons from the Zomi community.
The council pointed out that similar disappearances, including the abduction of Muangpu Langel from Vengnuam Jiribam on June 6, 2024, and cases involving over 11 other marginalized individuals, have been ignored by the government. The Zomi Council emphasized that despite repeated appeals, no substantial actions have been taken to resolve these cases.
The council’s statement stressed that the government’s failure to act on these cases reflects systemic discrimination, calling for equal attention and efforts for all missing person cases, especially for tribal communities. The ZC further stated that unless justice is served, it will pursue every democratic recourse to ensure equal protection under the law.
