Suspected mastermind in the killing of the two Meitei teens nabbed by the CBI from Pune

22-year-old Paolunmang, the alleged mastermind of the killings of the two Meitei teens in Manipur whose pictures and videos surfaced online stoking a massive social media outrage, was arrested by the CBI from Pune on Wednesday. The central agency confirmed the arrest of the accused on Friday.

A special investigating team nabbed Paolunmang from Pune on Wednesday and sent him to Guwahati, Assam, for further interrogation. After which he was to a court which granted CBI custody of the accused till October 16. The Central Bureau of Investigation suspects that the 22-year-old is the mastermind of the said killings, and is probing into all facets of the case in tandem with this.

On October 1, the CBI had arrested a group of individuals from Manipur, including two male suspects Paominlun Haokip and Smalsawm Haokip and two female suspects Lhingneichong Baitekuki and Tinneilhing Henthang. The suspects were apprehended from Manipur’s Churachandpur, and then taken to Guwahathi, for further questioning.

The two teens had left for coaching classes on July 6 in strife-torn Manipur, and never made it back home. The families ran from pillar to post, trying to locate their children, the police were involved, however, they could help their cause. On September 25, after the restoration of internet in the state and 80 days since they had gone missing, pictures of the dead bodies of the two teens surfaced online. The images went viral on social media, leading to several protests lead by students and civilians in the valley. Following the massive outrage and widespread protests, the state authorities intervened, leading to arrests being made in connection with the case.