GUWAHATI: Twenty-one Tangkhul Naga individuals, who were allegedly held captive by Kuki groups in Manipur’s Ukhrul district, were released late on Wednesday night, even as the state government decided to hand over the case relating to the death of two Kuki men to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
The abductees, including women, were intercepted at Shangkai village under Litan police station on the Imphal–Ukhrul road on Wednesday while they were travelling from Ukhrul to Imphal in several vehicles.
Official sources said the persons were handed over to the Army by their captors. The Army subsequently ensured their safe travel.
Earlier on Wednesday, two persons from the Kuki community were reported missing after they had allegedly gone to repair a water pipeline. Their bodies were recovered on Thursday morning.
In another incident, unidentified persons allegedly opened fire targeting Kuki cultivators and took at least two of them into their custody. Later, one of them managed to escape while the other was released.
The incidents occurred in a village near the Litan area. The Shangkai village authority alleged that Tangkhul Naga volunteers were involved in both incidents.
In the state capital Imphal, Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh told the Assembly that the state government would hand over the two Kuki men’s death case to the NIA.
He further stated that ex gratia would be provided to the next of kin of the deceased. He thanked Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen and all Naga MLAs for their help in securing the safe release of the 21 Tangkhul Naga villagers. He said that these leaders prevented the matter from snowballing into a major crisis.
Meanwhile, tensions continued to flare in the Litan areas, with Kuki protesters blocking the Ukhrul–Imphal road on Thursday.
“The situation continues to remain tense. Personnel from paramilitary forces, Army and Manipur Police are deployed in the areas,” Ukhrul District Magistrate Asish Das told this newspaper.
The Litan areas had witnessed incidents of arson for several days last month after a man from the Tangkhul Naga community was allegedly assaulted by a group of Kuki individuals.