Behind the scene story told here What went into the release of 2 Meitei men
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Guwahati, Oct 3
Days of hectic parleys and the eventual decision to relent on a key demand led to the release of two young Meitei men, who had been held hostage by Kuki groups since September 27. The men, who were abducted when they strayed into an area in Manipur’s Kuki-Zomi majority Kangpokpi district, were released in the early hours of Thursday and taken to Imphal.
The two men, Oinam Thoithoi Singh and Thokchom Thoithoiba Singh, were handed over by Kuki groups to the Superintendent of Police of Kangpokpi district at around 5 am. On the other hand, 11 Kuki-Zomi men lodged in an Imphal jail were taken to Kangpokpi.
Officially, senior police official S Ibomcha said the release of the two young men and the transportation of the 11 Kuki inmates were not related. “The Court had released these prisoners two months back following the expiration of their jail term. The jail SP had already requisitioned transportation from Manipur police to transfer the prisoners and the department approved their escort yesterday,” he said.
But security officials told The Indian Express that the imminent transfer of the inmates served as an opportunity amid efforts to secure the release of the two captives.
The release comes after more than three days of discussions between the Government side, led by Manipur DGP Rajiv Singh, and Kuki groups.
The Kuki groups had been pressing for the transfer of Kuki-Zomi inmates of Sajiwa Jail in Imphal to be moved to a location somewhere in the hill areas of the State. According to a senior security official, the 11 inmates who were taken to Kangpokpi district on Thursday morning are those who had already received bail, but were unable to move out of the jail in the Meitei-majority valley because of the security situation in the State.
“These are prisoners who had already been released on bail but who could not be moved safely out because of the situation. Moving them out of the prison and to a hill area is something that had to be done anyway and it was done safely, finding the right time and opportunity,” said a senior security official.
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh announced their release on Thursday morning on X, saying, “The two young men abducted in Kangpokpi on September 27 have been safely brought back to the custody of Manipur police. I sincerely appreciate everyone from both the State and Central Government who worked tirelessly to ensure their safe return. Your efforts are deeply valued.”
Another man, Ningombam Johnson Singh, who had been abducted alongside the two was released the same day. A video of the other two men in captivity had surfaced on Saturday night, in which they could be heard appealing to the CM to grant the abductors’ demands and ensure their release.
Since then, there were meetings between Kuki groups in Kangpokpi and the DGP on all three days this week but as of Wednesday evening, the Kuki groups were not willing to release the two men without having their core demand met. They had even floated an alternative demand that a police station be set up in Phailengmol, which is under the Kangpokpi revenue district but comes under the police jurisdiction of Imphal East. The 11 men who have been transported to Kangpokpi are now with the Committee on Tribal Unity (COTU), a Kuki civil society organisation there.
“We had discussions all night after which we felt assured by the DGP, and the captives were released. We think that there will be a legal procedure after which the rest of the Kuki inmates in Imphal can be shifted to a safer location,” said Kaiminlen Sitlhou from COTU. Indian Express
Days of hectic parleys and the eventual decision to relent on a key demand led to the release of two young Meitei men, who had been held hostage by Kuki groups since September 27. The men, who were abducted when they strayed into an area in Manipur’s Kuki-Zomi majority Kangpokpi district, were released in the early hours of Thursday and taken to Imphal.
The two men, Oinam Thoithoi Singh and Thokchom Thoithoiba Singh, were handed over by Kuki groups to the Superintendent of Police of Kangpokpi district at around 5 am. On the other hand, 11 Kuki-Zomi men lodged in an Imphal jail were taken to Kangpokpi.
Officially, senior police official S Ibomcha said the release of the two young men and the transportation of the 11 Kuki inmates were not related. “The Court had released these prisoners two months back following the expiration of their jail term. The jail SP had already requisitioned transportation from Manipur police to transfer the prisoners and the department approved their escort yesterday,” he said.
But security officials told The Indian Express that the imminent transfer of the inmates served as an opportunity amid efforts to secure the release of the two captives.
The release comes after more than three days of discussions between the Government side, led by Manipur DGP Rajiv Singh, and Kuki groups.
The Kuki groups had been pressing for the transfer of Kuki-Zomi inmates of Sajiwa Jail in Imphal to be moved to a location somewhere in the hill areas of the State. According to a senior security official, the 11 inmates who were taken to Kangpokpi district on Thursday morning are those who had already received bail, but were unable to move out of the jail in the Meitei-majority valley because of the security situation in the State.
“These are prisoners who had already been released on bail but who could not be moved safely out because of the situation. Moving them out of the prison and to a hill area is something that had to be done anyway and it was done safely, finding the right time and opportunity,” said a senior security official.
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh announced their release on Thursday morning on X, saying, “The two young men abducted in Kangpokpi on September 27 have been safely brought back to the custody of Manipur police. I sincerely appreciate everyone from both the State and Central Government who worked tirelessly to ensure their safe return. Your efforts are deeply valued.”
Another man, Ningombam Johnson Singh, who had been abducted alongside the two was released the same day. A video of the other two men in captivity had surfaced on Saturday night, in which they could be heard appealing to the CM to grant the abductors’ demands and ensure their release.
Since then, there were meetings between Kuki groups in Kangpokpi and the DGP on all three days this week but as of Wednesday evening, the Kuki groups were not willing to release the two men without having their core demand met. They had even floated an alternative demand that a police station be set up in Phailengmol, which is under the Kangpokpi revenue district but comes under the police jurisdiction of Imphal East. The 11 men who have been transported to Kangpokpi are now with the Committee on Tribal Unity (COTU), a Kuki civil society organisation there.
“We had discussions all night after which we felt assured by the DGP, and the captives were released. We think that there will be a legal procedure after which the rest of the Kuki inmates in Imphal can be shifted to a safer location,” said Kaiminlen Sitlhou from COTU. Indian Express