Two youths abducted by Kuki terrorists on September 27 in Manipur's Kangpokpi have been released. Chief Minister N Biren Singh gave this information through a post on X on Thursday, October 3. The CM said that both the youths are in police custody.
22-year-old Oinam Thoithoi, who has an MA from Manipur University, went to New Kithelmenbi in Imphal West district along with two friends – Ningombam Johnson and Thokchom Thoithoiba – to join the army. Here the three were abducted by Kuki extremists. Thoithoi is a resident of Thobal.
Kesham Yaifabi, convener of the Joint Action Committee formed in Thoubal, said that since Johnson had the admit card, the militants handed him over to the Assam Rifles, but captured the rest. Johnson said the three were following Google Maps on bikes. Entered the cookie area by mistake.
CM N Biren Singh informed about the youth's release at 7:41 am on October 3.
A video harassing the youth surfaced on social media The situation in Manipur has been tense for the past few days due to the protest against the abduction of two youths. The Maitei people feared that the two youths had been killed. After the hostage-taking, a video of the two youths, Thoithoi and Thoithoiba, went viral on social media, showing the two being harassed.
Maitei organizations warned the government that if the Kuki terrorists do not release the youth in a day or two, the government will be responsible for worsening the situation. Manipur DGP Rajeev Singh reached Kuki-infested Kangpokpi to protect the youth from Kuki extremists. CM Biren Singh said that he will save the youth.
The Maitei people feared assassination
On 2 October, 5 Maitei-dominated districts of Imphal East, West, Bishnupur, Kakching and Thoubal remained completely shut down in protest against the incident. Here, Maitreya organizations have announced a 48-hour bandh.
Maitei women have blocked the roads on National Highway No. 102 from Imphal to Thoubal's Mela Maidan by erecting bamboo poles. Neither the police nor the state government could reach here
Violence in Manipur's Ukhrul, 3 killed, 10 injured
The attackers fired from the roof. Meanwhile, people were seen running on the road.
A firing broke out between two groups of Naga community in Manipur's Ukhrul district on Wednesday. In which 3 people died. More than 10 are injured. Police have imposed prohibitory orders in the area under sub-section 1 of Section 163 of the Indian Penal Code (BNS), 2023. People are prohibited to step out of the house till further orders.
Police said both the groups belong to the Naga community, but from two different villages, Hunfun and Hangpung. Both groups claim the same land. Violence broke out between the two sides over the cleaning of the disputed land as part of the cleanliness campaign. Assam Rifles have been deployed in the area.
Three people were killed in the firing from both sides.
Extremist shooting in Churachandpur On the other hand, a town commander of a banned extremist outfit was shot dead by unidentified people near Leishang village in Churachandpur district on Tuesday. The deceased was identified as Sekhohao Haokip, a resident of Kaprang village in the district.
Police said the deceased was a member of the United Kuki National Army (UKNA). The incident took place around 1.5 km from Torbung Bungalow in Churachandpur at 12:15 am yesterday. The police have kept Haokip's body in Churachandpur Medical College Mortuary.
It has been almost 500 days since the violence in Manipur It has been almost 500 days since the ongoing violence between the Kuki-Maitei. Meanwhile, 237 people have died, more than 1500 people have been injured, 60 thousand people have left their homes and are living in relief camps. During this time around 11 thousand FIRs were registered and 500 people were arrested. Even now Manipur is divided into two parts. There is Kuki in the hill districts and Maitei in the plains districts. A border has been set between the two, crossing it means death.
School- mobile internet was stopped. The state government banned the internet for 5 days on September 10 following a sudden rise in violent incidents in Manipur. However, the ban on broadband internet was lifted on 12 September.
Know the reason of Manipur violence in 4 points…
The population of Manipur is about 38 lakhs. There are three main communities here, Maitai, Naga and Kuki. Maitai are mostly Hindus. The Nga-Kuki follow Christianity. falls under ST category. They constitute about 50% of the population. The Maitai community dominates the Imphal Valley, which covers about 10% of the state. Naga-Kuki constitute about 34 percent of the population. These people live in almost 90% of the state.
How the controversy started: Maitai community demands that they too be given tribal status. The community filed a petition in the Manipur High Court for this. The community's contention was that Manipur had merged with India in 1949. Before that they got only tribal status. After this, the High Court recommended to the state government that Maitai be included in the Scheduled Tribe (ST).
What is Maitai's argument: The Maitai tribe believes that their kings called the Kukis from Myanmar to fight a war years ago. After that he became a permanent resident. These people cut forests for employment and started opium cultivation. Due to which Manipur has become a triangle of drug smuggling. All this is happening openly. He formed an armed group to fight the Naga people.
Why Naga-Kuki is against: The other two castes are against giving reservation to Maitai community. They say 40 of the state's 60 Assembly seats are already in the Maitai-dominated Imphal Valley. In such a situation, if METOs get reservation in ST category, their rights will be divided.
What are political equations: Out of 60 MLAs in Manipur, 40 MLAs belong to Maitai and 20 MLAs belong to Naga-Kuki tribe. So far, only two of the 12 CMs have come from the tribe.
Image Credit: (Divya-Bhaskar): Images/graphics belong to (Divya-Bhaskar).
