13-year-old boy found dead in Manipur relief camp in suspected suicide: Police

IMPHAL: A 13-year-old boy staying at a ease camp out at a schooltime in Jiribam territorial dominion was found deadened on Sunday, raising alarm over worsening psychological toll on children displaced due to the ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur.Police said that the deceased was originally a resident of Lamtaikhunou, Borobekra sub-division, Jiribam district. His family have been staying at the camp since their house was torched during clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities two years ago.Violence erupted in the state on May 3, 2023, killing over 260 individuals and displacing over 60,000 others.According to police, the incident occurred around 1.50 am, when the child was found hanging at the parking shed of Jiribam Higher Secondary School, where the camp is located. Receiving 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. Officials said 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.“He had returned from a ‘Lai Haraoba’ (local deity) 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,” the boy’s mother told the media.Chairperson of the Manipur Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MCPCR), Keisam Pradipkumar told media over the incident that he had taken serious note of the case and submitted a report. “There is a 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.He said, “because of the long period of the violence, there is a rise in child suicides in recent months. On July 23, 2025, a 13-year-old displaced boy died by suicide inside a school hostel at Saiton village; on August 6, 2025, another 15-year-old boy from Moirang Khoiru Makha Leikai was found hanging at his residence; later on August 23, 2025, a Class IX studying girl from Thamnapokpi died in a suspected suicide, reportedly linked to cyberbullying.”The frequent incident of suicide cases occurring among the displaced persons might need urgent mechanism for their protection in relief camps.If you need support or know someone who does, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist. Helplines: Aasra: 022 2754 6669; Sneha India Foundation: +914424640050 and Sanjivini: 011-24311918, Roshni Foundation (Secundrabad) Contact Nos: 040-66202001, 040-66202000, ONE LIFE: Contact No: 78930 78930, SEVA: Contact No: 09441778290