Protesters in Imphal demanded the release of six missing Nagas amid rising tensions in Manipur hill districts.
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DIMAPUR/IMPHAL — Hundreds of protesters, including members of Naga and Meitei communities, marched through Imphal on Monday demanding the immediate release of six Naga civilians allegedly being held hostage by suspected Kuki militants, amid growing tensions over recent killings and abductions in Manipur’s hill districts.
The protest rally, organised under the aegis of Naga People’s Union (NPU) Imphal, began from the Tribal Market area at New Chekon in Imphal East district and proceeded towards the chief minister’s bungalow and Secretariat.
Participants described the situation in Manipur as a prolonged humanitarian and security crisis affecting all communities and urged the authorities to intervene before conditions worsened further.
However, the rally was stopped by a large contingent of state and central security personnel near Palace Gate, close to the statue of Thangal General and around 200 metres from the chief minister’s residence.
A six-member delegation of the NPU was later allowed to meet Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh and submit a memorandum containing a seven-point charter of demands.
Among the demands were immediate action against those allegedly involved in abducting the six Naga civilians, arrest of the chief and members of Leilon Vaiphei village authority and certain meira paibis for alleged involvement in detaining the villagers, justice for victims of recent attacks in Ukhrul and Noney districts, repeal of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with Kuki militant groups and deportation of alleged “Kuki refugees”.
The protesters also demanded the removal of Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen from the council of ministers, alleging that her husband heads the Kuki National Front (Presidential), which they claimed was linked to the abduction.
Meanwhile, Director General of Police, Manipur, Rajiv Singh said that security agencies were conducting operations and holding talks with various groups to trace persons allegedly being held hostage in the hill districts.
“We are working on the missing persons. We had several rounds of talks and conducted operations as well,” Singh told reporters.
Reflecting on the law-and-order situation in the state, Singh described Manipur as a “complex place to work” but said the situation had improved compared to earlier phases of the conflict.