Guwahati: Amid the simmering tension between the Kuki and Naga community after the killing of three church leaders in an ambush in Manipur, dozens of villagers from both the communities were reported to have been abducted in Kangpokpi and Senapati districts on Thursday.
Asked about the incident, Manipur chief minister Y Khemchand Singh told reporters that security forces have been trying to secure the release of those reported abducted. Indicating that the government has started exercise to secure release but the impasse over this mutual hostage situation has not been resolved so far.
Meanwhile an indefinite shutdown has paralysed normal life in Churachandpur district since Wednesday over the killing of the church leaders.
The authorities were tight-lipped about the abduction of villagers but security sources said that there are 18 Liangmai Naga villagers who are being held hostage by Kuki groups in Kangpokpi district, and around 29 Kuki villagers are held captive by Naga groups, mostly in Senapati district.
Tension gripped the area after three church leaders from the Thadou Baptist Association, Reverend Vumthang Sitlhou, Reverend Kaigoulen Lhouvum and Pastor Paogoulen Sitlhou, were killed in an attack on their vehicles while they were travelling from Churachandpur to Kangpokpi on Wednesday morning. As news of this attack in Kangpokpi district spread, it sent shockwaves across the state. Hundreds of villagers came out on the street and took out candle marches at various places.
The Kuki groups alleged that armed Naga groups were responsible for it that around 18 residents of Konsakhul, a Liangmai Naga village in Kangpokpi district, were abducted and held on Wednesday morning itself.
A member of the Foothills Naga Coordination Committee said, “These villagers, while on their way to Imphal, were captured by people from Lelen Vaiphei, a neighbouring Kuki-Zo village. We don’t know the exact place where they have been kept.”
He said that in retaliation, Naga groups similarly detained 23 Kuki people in Senapati, and another six in parts of Kangpokpi district.
He said, “We have proposed that they (Kuki groups) release all the hostages and we too will release them from our side. We have instructed our people not to do any harm to the detainees and that we have to release them as soon as possible. But the Kuki side has not been forthcoming.”
Informing that senior ministers have been engaged to resolve this hostage situation, the United Naga Council president Ng Lorho told reporters that the situation was extremely volatile.
Security sources at Imphal said that Kuki organisations met deputy chief minister Nemcha Kipgen — the other deputy chief minister, Losii Dikho, from the Naga community — on the issue.
Pointing out that discussion was going on to work out modalities to secure release of hostages, Kuki Inpi Manipur information secretary Janghaolun Kipgen said, “Both the community was asking for releasing the hostages first out of apprehension.”
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