31 Kuki, Naga hostages freed in Manipur after deadly attacks

Thirty-one of the 38 people belonging to the Kuki and Naga communities, who were held hostage by armed groups in Manipur's Kangpokpi and Senapati districts, were released, police said on Friday. These people were taken to unknown areas after suspected militants shot dead three church leaders and injured four others in Kangpokpi on Wednesday, while a civilian was gunned down and his wife was wounded in Noney district. "Twelve Naga women from Konsakhul village, who were held captive by armed militants, were released at Makhan village," a senior officer said.

Four men and ten women of the Kuki community, who were held in captivity in Senapati district, were handed over to security forces late Thursday night, he said. The officer also said, "Two Salesian brothers of Don Bosco, including one from Nagaland, were also released by armed groups at separate locations." On Thursday evening, three persons, including an 18-year-old woman, belonging to the Kuki community, were handed over to the police teams in Senapati district, another officer said. "We were blindfolded and our hands tied up. We did not know the exact locations where we were taken to. I could sense that we were taken to hilly areas. No one has assaulted us," said a woman who was released in Kangpokpi district. Manipur Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam had on Thursday said the government was actively holding discussions with civil society groups and political leaders to secure the release of these people. People from the Kuki and Naga communities had on Thursday held separate sit-ins in the Kangpokpi district to protest against the alleged abductions.