Manipur: Six abducted Naga villagers found dead, bodies recovered

Imphal, June 10 (IANS) The bodies of six Naga community members, who were abducted by armed groups belonging to different tribal communities on May 13, were recovered on Wednesday from a forested area in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district, officials said.

A police official said that after nearly 24 hours of extensive search operations conducted jointly by central and state security forces, the six bodies were found in a forest area near Kharam Vaiphei village, a predominantly Kuki-Zo tribal settlement in the Saitu-Gamphazol Sub-division of Kangpokpi district.

The large-scale search operation involved around 450 personnel from the Manipur Police, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and the Assam Rifles. Sniffer dogs and forensic experts were also deployed during the operation.

“The deceased are believed to be among those taken hostage from the Leilon Vaiphei area (Kangpokpi district) on May 13. Necessary legal formalities are being carried out by the police. Further investigation is underway,” a Manipur Police statement said.

The bodies are being transported to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Imphal, for post-mortem examination and other necessary formalities.

The recovery of the bodies came just hours after 14 hostages belonging to the Kuki community were released on Tuesday following nearly four weeks in captivity. On Tuesday evening, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio had appealed to the concerned groups to ensure the safe release of the six Naga villagers who had remained in captivity since May 13.

According to police officials, the 14 Kuki villagers were handed over to a police station in Senapati district on Tuesday by the United Naga Council (UNC) and the Naga People’s Organisation (NPO) late on Tuesday afternoon.

Nagaland Chief Minister Rio had appealed for the safe release of the six Naga hostages in a reciprocal and humanitarian manner so that they could return to their loved ones. He said in a post on X that such gestures could pave the way for trust, understanding and dialogue as communities strive for genuine peace, reconciliation and harmony.

Rio added that he welcomed the safe and humane release of the Kuki hostages by the United Naga Council and Naga civil society organisations, in response to appeals made by Church bodies led by the Baptist World Alliance. He noted that over the past weeks, he had held several interactions with representatives of Naga civil society groups in collective efforts to resolve the impasse on humanitarian grounds and in the spirit of Christian values.

He expressed hope that the development would contribute to restoring trust, healing divisions and paving the way for lasting peace in Manipur.

Welcoming the safe release of the 14 Kuki hostages as a positive and humanitarian step, Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh expressed appreciation to all individuals and stakeholders involved in facilitating their release. He lauded Naga civil society groups for their role in securing the release of the hostages and described the effort as a reflection of compassion, responsibility and concern for human life.

The Manipur Chief Minister also appealed to all sections of society to renounce violence in all forms. He stressed that the ongoing crisis has caused immense suffering to victims and their families and assured that strict legal action would be taken against those responsible, adding that justice would be ensured.

Meanwhile, according to police officials, at least 50 people belonging to the Kuki and Naga communities were allegedly held hostage by different armed groups in Kangpokpi and Senapati districts following violent incidents on May 13, in which three church leaders were killed and four others injured in Kangpokpi district.

Around 30 individuals from both communities were released on May 14 and May 15 following sustained efforts by authorities, community leaders and several civil society organisations.

Various organisations representing both the Naga and Kuki communities have been continuously staging protests and demanding the safe rescue of the abducted persons, six Nagas and 14 Kuki community members.

The Manipur Chief Minister had earlier stated that the cases relating to the abduction of the six Naga villagers and the killing of the three church leaders in Kangpokpi district on May 13 had already been handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for a detailed investigation.

–IANS

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