Unidentified men abducted 43-year-old Somarendro, the personal assistant of Manipur Consumer Affairs Minister L. Susindro, near his residence in Imphal East district on Friday morning.

The kidnapping occurred around 8:30 am while Somarendro was leaving for his official duties, according to the police. Locals from Khurai Lamlong, Imphal East, held a protest against the abduction, demanding immediate action and his safe return.

Authorities are currently investigating the motive behind the abduction and have yet to identify those responsible. During a preliminary investigation at the scene, police recovered five empty shell casings, suspected to be from 9mm ammunition, suggesting that gunfire may have occurred during the kidnapping.