GUWAHATI: Four days on but there is no trace of six Meitei individuals – three women and three children – who were reported missing after Monday’s gunfight in Jiribam district that left 10 “militants” dead and a constable of Central Reserve Police Force injured.
The police said search operations were continuing even as political parties have joined various organisations in demanding the “release” of the six. The Congress alleged they were abducted by the armed miscreants.
“We strongly demand the immediate safe release of the three women and the three children, and seek your immediate intervention to help in releasing them from the hands of armed miscreants,” the Congress wrote in a memorandum submitted to Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya.
The party sought the governor’s help in bringing normalcy and peace in the ethnic violence-hit state which has remained on the boil for the past 18 months.
The BJP, which heads the state’s coalition government, also made a fervent appeal for the release of the abductees.
“We demand their immediate release on humanitarian grounds,” BJP state chief A Sharda Devi said at a media briefing on Thursday.
Various civil society organisations are mounting pressure on the government to ensure the safe release of the abductees. They had issued an ultimatum to the government demanding decisive action to address the crisis and warned of a mass movement against politicians.
The Manipur International Youth Centre and the Youth Collective Manipur petitioned the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary, or Arbitrary Executions seeking its intervention to save the six, the youngest being all of eight months.
In a joint letter, the organisations said the ongoing violence led to “abductions” and widespread displacement of civilians.
Black Children’s Day protest –
Students in several parts of the state on Thursday staged a “Black Children’s Day” protest demanding the release of the six individuals. They wore black badges during the silent protest.
The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity Students’ Front, which led the protests, criticised the government for its failure to secure the release of the “hostages”.