GUWAHATI: Twenty-one Tangkhul Naga individuals, held captive by Kuki groups in Manipur’s Ukhrul district, were released late at night on Wednesday.
The abductees, including women, were intercepted at Shangkai village, falling under the Litan police station on the Imphal-Ukhrul road, when they were travelling to Imphal from Ukhrul in some vehicles on Wednesday.
Official sources said the persons were handed over to the Army by their captors. The Army subsequently secured their safe travel to Ukhrul.
Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh had on Wednesday appealed for the safe and unconditional release of the persons at the earliest.
He had assured their families and the public that the government was treating the matter seriously and would take all necessary steps to book those involved.
The abduction followed an incident of firing by “Naga volunteers” in which two men from the Kuki community were killed.
They were reported missing, and their bodies were recovered later.
Two other Kukis were allegedly taken into custody by the Naga individuals.
The sources said that one of them managed to escape while the other person was released. Naga groups said the incident occurred during an anti-poppy drive. However, Kukis called it unprovoked firing.
The 21 Nagas were held captive in retaliation for this incident.
Meanwhile, tensions continued to flare in the Litan areas with Kuki protestors blocking the Ukhrul-Imphal road on Thursday in protest against the killings.
“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 TNIE on Thursday.
The Litan areas had witnessed incidents of arson attacks for several days last month after a man from the Tangkhul Naga community was assaulted by a group of Kuki individuals.