GUWHATI: A joint team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Manipur Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on Saturday arrested two more persons in connection with the recent abduction and killing of six Naga civilians, including two pastors.
The persons arrested were identified as Lungoulal Vaiphei of Leilon Vaiphei village and Lunminthang Sitlhou alias Jack of Molhoi village, both in Kuki-majority Kangpokpi district.
Manipur Police said further efforts were on to arrest other individuals connected with the case.
On July 10, a combined team of NIA, Manipur Police and CRPF had arrested a couple for their alleged involvement in the case. The arrested persons, identified as Pradip and his wife , Ayingbi alias Mangaih, are residents of Leilon Vaiphei village.
Recently, Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh stated that the government was taking all necessary steps to ensure justice in the case.
He said the families of the victims had earlier identified five persons who were allegedly involved in the incident.
Stating that it is the responsibility of the government and law enforcement agencies to arrest all those involved, he said necessary instructions had already been issued in this regard.
On May 13, unidentified gunmen killed three church leaders from the Thadou community in an ambush in the Kangpokpi district.
Later that day, 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 village.
On May 15, Nagas released 14 Kuki civilians, and similarly, Kukis freed 14 Naga individuals, including 12 of the 18 abducted from Leilon Vaiphei village.
On June 9, Nagas released the remaining 14 Kukis following appeals made by various church organisations, and assurances given by the state government and the Centre that they would make efforts to establish the status of the six missing Nagas.
However, the next day, the mutilated bodies of the six were recovered by security personnel from Kangpokpi district.
After the recovery of the bodies, violence broke out in Senapati town, with an irate mob targeting the office of a political party.