Authorities in Manipur reported on Monday that the body of a seven-year-old girl, who had been residing in a relief camp for the past three years, was discovered in the Imphal East district. A 28-year-old man, identified as Laishram Langamba, has been taken into custody in connection with this incident.

Later that day, angry internally displaced persons (IDPs) from the relief camp where the girl lived gathered outside the local police station to demand the death penalty for the accused. The situation escalated into a clash with law enforcement, leading police to use tear gas to disperse the demonstrators.

The girl had been living in the relief camp following the outbreak of ethnic violence on May 3, 2023. Officials indicated that she had been reported missing since Sunday. After she did not return home by late evening, her family filed a missing persons report, prompting a coordinated search operation by police from both Imphal East and Imphal West.

During the investigation, police reviewed CCTV footage from nearby locations, which helped them identify a suspect who was subsequently detained for questioning. Authorities stated that the suspect admitted to murdering the girl during interrogation and guided them to the location where her body was found inside a sack beneath a bridge. The remains have been transferred to a hospital morgue for a post-mortem examination.

A local judge has ordered the accused to remain in police custody as investigations continue. The motive for the crime has not yet been determined.