Three arrested in lady doctor murder case

Three persons were arrested today in connection with the killing of a lady doctor, whose body was found from an interior place of Manipur's East Singhbhum district last week.

Manipur Director General of Police Y Joykumar said two persons - Thoudam Jibon(27) and Toijam James(26) were arrested from Thoubal khong area in Imphal East district, while the third identified as Kshetrimayum Biju(28) surrendered at the Irilbung police station in the district.

The three were remanded to police custody by a local court till April 15.

The arrests followed assurances by Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh to a local committee yesterday.

Official sources said the committee had called an indefinite Manipur bandh from Saturday last demanding the arrest of the killers but called it off yesterday evening after the chief minister's assurances.

Meanwhile, irate locals torched the houses of the three arrested persons at Thoubalkhong and Irilbung areas in Imphal East District during the day.

Police said the doctor, a research scholar attached to pathology department of Regional Institute of Medical Science and Hospital here, had left her home at Kakwa area in Imphal west district on April 3 last.

Since she did not return home next day (April 4), her family members thought that she had left with her love interest (as per traditions and customs of Manipuri society). Her body bearing strangulation mark was found at Basikhong area in the outskirts of Imphal on April 5.