Manipur High Court has directed the state government to constitute a four-member committee to probe the disappearance of a 56-year-old Meitei man from the Leimakhong military garrison on November 25.

Acting on a petition filed by Laishram Kamalbabu Singh's younger brother, Laishram Brajabidu Singh, a division bench of the high court comprising Chief Justice D. Krishnakumar and Justice Golmei Gaiphulsillu Kabui passed the order on Tuesday.

Kamalbabu hailed from the neighbouring Cachar district in Assam and was a work supervisor for a contractor associated with the Military Engineering Services at the Leimakhong Military Station of the 57th Mountain Division.

The high court has directed the committee, to be headed by the Kangpokpi district magistrate, to submit a detailed report on whether Kamalbabu has been abducted as alleged by his younger brother in his petition or “he has fled on his own” before December 11, the next date of hearing.

Besides the Kangpokpi district magistrate, the SPs of Imphal West and Kangpokpi districts and a senior official of the 57th Mountain Division will be the other members of the committee.

The army had issued a statement on November 26 saying Kamalbabu’s family had reported that he did not return home on November 25 evening. Protests are being held daily in Imphal West seeking his safe return.

Though the army has not specified from where Kamalbabu disappeared, chief minister N. Biren Singh had on Saturday said it was “very unfortunate that such an incident happened inside the army campus” and that the government was taking it seriously. The military station is about 12km from Imphal.