Imphal: A thirteen years old minor presently staying at a relief camp opened at Jiribam Higher Secondary School, Jiribam district found dead hanging at the school’s park in the wee hours on Sunday.
Police confirmed that the deceased as Yurembam Angamba, 13, of Lamtaikhunou, Borobekra sub-division, Jiribam district. His family has been staying at the camp since their home was torched during clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities.
The clash was erupted on May 3, 2023 killing over 260 individuals and displacing more than 60,000 people.
According to police, the incident occurred around 1:50 am, when Angamba was found hanging at the parking shed of Jiribam Higher Secondary School, where the camp is located. Receiving on the information a police team rushed to the spot at around 2.10 am.
The body was recovered by Jiribam district police and shifted to Jiribam Hospital. Official confirmed that the postmortem will be conducted at Silchar Medical College and Hospital, Gungoor, Assam. A suo-moto case has been registered at Jiribam Police Station, police said.
The boy’s mother told reporters that “Angamba had returned from a ‘Lai Haraoba’ ( indigenous religious festival) celebration around 11 pm on Saturday. We (families at relief camp) were shocked about the incident. Mental health impact of long-term displacement on children could be the reason. Many parents fear that, beyond financial hardship, the trauma of violence and uncertainty is leaving deep scars on the young minds.”
Chairperson of the Manipur Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MCPCR), Keisam Pradipkumar told reporters over the incident that he had taken serious note of the case and submitted a report.
“There is need for regular monitoring of relief camps, counselling support for displaced children, and immediate rollout of the Manipur State Policy for Children, which was first notified in 2020 and revised in April 2025 but remains pending,” said Pradip.
“Due to the long period of unrest there is rise in child suicides in recent months July 23, where a 13-years old displaced boy ended his life inside a school hostel at Saiton village; on August 6, another 15-year-old boy from Moirang Khoiru Makha Leikai was found hanging at his residence; later on August 23, a Class IX studying girl from Thamnapokpi died in a suspected suicide, reportedly linked to cyberbullying,” he added.
The Jiribam incident has raised alarm over worsening psychological toll on displaced children due to Manipur crisis.
