Imphal, January 21: Thousands of villagers today launched a massive search for the two children, Moheni Martin and Hrinii Hubert who have been kidnapped by unidentified persons for ransom at some suspected places located beyond Kangpokpi Bazar.

Though they could not find any trace of the two 10-year old kidnapped children, the villagers exhumed the body of a 2-year old child from the said area during the search.

The search was conducted at a place located about 3 kilometres off Kangpokpi Bazar as the villagers suspected that the two kidnapped children might have been killed and their bodies buried by the kidnappers.

However, the suspicion of the villagers was put at rest after it was found that the body exhumed was that of an only 2 year old child.

Later a public meeting was convened at the Union Baptist Church, Namdulong, Kangpokpi.

Members of Kangpokpi Bazar Board, local leaders and representatives of All Manipur United Clubs' Organisation were also present during the meeting.

The meeting strongly condemned the kidnapping of innocent children for ransom and resolved to extend co-operation to all the people tracing the whereabouts Moheni Martin and Hrinii Hubert.

Moheni and Hrinii were kidnapped by unidentified persons from Senapati district on December 14 last and their whereabouts have not been known since then.

They are both students of Don Bosco, Senapati reading in class III.

Meanwhile, students and staff of Sunday School, Bethel Baptist Church, Tamenglong have fervently appealed to the kidnappers to treat the two innocent children as their own sons and ensure their safe and early return to their worried parents and family members.

While praying to God that such unfortunate incidents of kidnapping innocent children do not recur, the staff and the student of the Sunday school have also appealed to all the citizens and authorities concerned regardless of caste and creed to extend maximum co-operation toward rescuing the two kidnapped children.