GUWAHATI: The mortal remains of six persons, believed to be those of abducted Nagas in Manipur, were recovered on Wednesday, police said.
“After nearly 24 hours of sustained search operations involving around 450 personnel of Manipur Police, CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force), and Assam Rifles, assisted by sniffer dogs and forensic expert teams, the mortal remains of six persons were recovered this afternoon,” Manipur Police posted on X.
“The deceased are believed to be among those taken hostage from Leilon Vaiphei on 13 May, 2026. Necessary legal formalities are being carried out by the police, and the investigation is underway,” the police further stated.
The Manipur Police post on X made no mention of the place from where the mortal remains were recovered.
On May 13, unidentified gunmen had killed three church leaders from the Thadou community in the Kangpokpi district. On the same day after that incident, altogether 48 people – 28 Kukis and 20 Nagas – were abducted from different parts of the state.
Eighteen of the 20 Nagas were abducted from Leilon Vaiphei in the Kangpokpi district. On May 15, Nagas released 14 of the 28 Kuki civilians, and similarly, Kukis freed 14 Naga individuals, including 12 of the 18 abducted from Leilon Vaiphei.
However, the status of the remaining six Nagas was not known over the past 28 days.
The Nagas released the remaining 14 Kukis on Tuesday following appeals made by various church bodies, and assurances given by the state government and the Centre that they would make efforts to establish the status of the six missing Nagas.