Captive passengers freed; two abducted persns found dead
Tensions in Manipur’s Ukhrul district heightened on Thursday after two missing persons (belonging to Kuki tribe) were found dead even as all the passengers (belonging to Tangkhul Naga tribe) held captive were released unharmed.
Heavy exchange of fire was also reported between armed Naga and Kuki groups at Sinakeithel village, a Tangkhul village, in Ukhrul district following which the village authority reportedly imposed strict restriction to the villagers moving outside the village.
Fresh tensions flared up in Ukhrul district on Wednesday after a passenger service vehicle (Winger Van) was hijacked and the passengers, travelling from Ukhrul to Imphal, were held hostage allegedly by suspected Kuki militants at Shangkai village.
All the passengers were released unharmed today in the wee hours following intense negotiations involving the state government and civil organizations from both the communities.
However, the tensions did not die down as hours after the safe release of the passengers, two missing Kuki men were found dead in the forested area of Thawai Kuki village in Kamjong district adjoining Ukhrul district. Reports said that the whereabouts of the duo remained untraceable after they were allegedly abducted by suspected militants earlier on Wednesday, before the hijacking and holding captive of the passengers took place.
The two deceased were identified as Thengin Baite (42) from Thawai Kuki village in Kamjong district and Thangboimang Khongsai (35) from Shangkai village in Ukhrul district.
Police sources said that a combined team of BSF and the Army, who launched a joint operation to rescue the two abducted persons, found bodies at a place in Litan areas around 8.30 am.
Following the recovery of dead bodies, Kuki villagers have blocked the Imphal-Ukhrul Road at Shangkai, disturbing the normal vehicular movement along the lifeline of Ukhrul residents.
NIA will probe death of two abducted persons: CM Khemchand
Manipur chief minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh, speaking at ongoing budget session of the state Assembly, assured handing over the case of death of the two persons to National Investigation Agency (NIA).
He also assured the house that ex-gratia will also be provided to the next of kin of the two deceased persons as per the rules of the state government.
The chief minister was replying to a calling attention motion on the incident moved by Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader K Meghachandra Singh.
Singh thanked deputy chief minister Nemcha Kipgen and all the MLAs belonging to the Naga tribes for their help in securing the release of 21 passengers safely.
The chief minister said that these leaders have prevented the matter from snowballing into a major crisis.