Third case in a month: Minor girl raped, murdered in Manipur's Churachandpur

Imphal, April 12: In yet another disturbing incident from Manipur’s Churachandpur district, a minor girl with mental disabilities was allegedly raped and murdered in a forest near Leijangphai village under Thanlon sub-division.

The police said the child had gone into the forest on Friday afternoon to collect firewood but failed to return home, prompting her father to raise an alarm and begin searching the area.

Her body was later found in the forest with torn clothes and visible injury marks, police confirmed. A suspect has been arrested in connection with the case and an investigation is underway.

The Kuki Women Organisation for Human Rights (KWOHR) has strongly condemned the crime, urging authorities to handle the matter with “utmost seriousness”.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the group also appealed to civil society bodies to “stand united against this wave of violence”.

"We also urge the civil society organisations to come together, raise their voices, and stand united against this wave of violence," a statement issued by the organisation on Saturday, read.

This is the third reported case of sexual assault involving minors in Churachandpur in less than a month. Earlier this month, a 10-year-old girl was allegedly assaulted by an underage boy in the same district.

In March, a 9-year-old girl was found dead near a relief camp for internally displaced people, her body bearing signs of injuries.

Various civil organisations had condemned the incident and urged the authorities to ensure justice is delivered.