Two volunteers of the village defence force were found dead in Manipur, one on Saturday and the other on Sunday morning, police reports said.
One police party accompanied by villagers found the bullet-riddled body of Ningthoujam Manisana (35) in the hill ravine in Imphal East district on Sunday morning. He was a volunteer with the VDF at Sangaithel village. His family had lodged a missing person report on February 7. Police said that apart from the bullet injuries, a sharp object had pierced the neck during the brutal torture. He was survived by his wife and a young son.
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In another incident, the body of another volunteer, N. Oken (26), was recovered from a utility vehicle on Saturday night; the vehicle was parked in the compound of JN Institute of Medical Sciences in Imphal. He was one of the volunteers guarding the Kadangband village in Imphal East district. In the absence of any formal claim for the body, it was sent to the mortuary for a post-mortem examination.
Police are launching search operations in all vulnerable areas. However, there has been no report of any arrest.