Correspondent
IMPHAL, NOV 10 (NPN): The last rites of the six Liangmai (Naga) hostages killed by Kuki armed groups will be performed on November 16, after more than five months since their mortal remains were recovered in June this year.
The severely mutilated bodies of the six men, who remained untraceable after they were abducted by suspected militants from Leilon (Vaiphei-Kuki) village in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district on May 13, were recovered from the vicinity of the village on June 10.
The victims were Kenpibou (Pastor), Phenrongwi Thiumai, Rev Dr Manu Thiumai (Pastor), Mr Dilip Thiumai, Kaliwangbou Abonmai, and Ch Phenrilung. All of them hailed from Konsakhul village in Kangpokpi district.
Since then, their mortal remains were lying at JNIMS morgue, Imphal where the police deposited them after family members backed by the Naga based CSOs, particularly Joint Tribe Council, Manipur (JTC) refused to accept the bodies, seeking justice and accountability.
The bodies will be claimed and the last rites were performed on November 16, leaders of the JTCM said, while addressing a news conference at Manipur Press Club, Imphal on Tuesday.
Their final rites were at Naga Martyrs’ Park at Konsakhul on November 16, JTC co-convener Timothy Wijunamai said. He said that the JTCM decided to claim the bodies after a thorough deliberation on the discussions during a meeting at Guwahati on September 26 among the United Naga Council (UNC), JTCM, Manipur government and the government of India.
Appealing to all, irrespective of community, to come and attend the final rites ceremony and stand with the bereaved families as they bid farewell to their beloved ones, the co-convener said that the November 16 ceremony would be an occasion to pay final respects to the victims.
Wijunamai reiterated that Kuki militants operating under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement were perpetrators of the heinous crime while alleging that they abducted the six men from Leilon Vaiphei village on May 13.