GUWAHAT, Two bodies, including that of a woman, both with bullet wounds, have been recovered from separate locations in the violence-stricken state of Manipur, India.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the Manipur police discovered the bodies in the Imphal East and West districts. These individuals are believed to be two of the four family members of a serving Indian soldier who were reportedly abducted on Tuesday morning in Imphal city. The search for the remaining two family members and two Meitei teenagers, who disappeared on Sunday, is still ongoing.

A senior police officer, who wished to remain anonymous, shared that both bodies were found shot dead in different locations. The officer stated that the description of the bodies corresponds with two of the individuals abducted on Tuesday. Efforts are underway to confirm their identities with the help of the family.

The woman’s body, estimated to be in her early 50s, was found near Tairenpokpi in the Imphal West district with a bullet wound to her head. Similarly, the body of a man, believed to be in his 40s, was discovered at Takhok Mapal Makha in the Imphal East district.

Since the outbreak of clashes in Manipur on May 3, at least 178 people have lost their lives, and approximately 50,000 have been displaced. The report also mentions allegations against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, accusing it of targeting Christian and Muslim communities in Manipur as part of an alleged agenda to change the state’s demographic composition through violence and forced migration.