Imphal, June 7 (IANS) As many as 20 members of the Naga and Kuki communities remain untraced after being allegedly abducted by armed groups in Manipur’s hill districts, despite intensive joint search operations by central and state security forces for nearly four weeks, officials said on Sunday.

A police official said that, to prevent any spillover of the recent violence in Kangpokpi district, security forces carried out surprise joint combing operations in areas around Litan, Mahadev, and Sinakeithel villages along the Imphal-Dimapur National Highway (NH-2).

Security personnel conducted joint patrolling in villages inhabited by both communities and traced and dismantled several illegal bunkers, he said.

“Village authorities and civil society organisations (CSOs) were approached for their essential support and were assured of the continued presence of security forces in the area to ward off any threats. They were also requested to sensitise local youths and ensure that they are not influenced by incidents occurring in other areas or drawn into acts of violence near their villages,” the official said.

Operations would continue in Kangpokpi, Senapati and adjoining districts to ensure the safety and well-being of local residents, maintain the security of the highways, and facilitate the rescue of the 20 hostages – 6 Nagas and 14 Kuki community people, he added.

Various organisations representing both the Naga and Kuki communities have been continuously agitating and demanding the safe rescue of the abducted people.

According to the official, at least 50 people belonging to the Kuki and Naga communities were allegedly held hostage by different armed groups in the Kuki-Zo inhabited Kangpokpi district and the Naga-dominated Senapati district following the violent incidents that took place on May 13, in which three church leaders were killed and four others injured in Kangpokpi district.

Around 30 people from both communities were released on May 14 and 15 following sustained efforts by the authorities, community leaders and several CSOs.

Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh had earlier said that the cases relating to the abduction of six Naga villagers and the killing of three church leaders in Kangpokpi district on May 13 had already been handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for a detailed probe.

Meanwhile, in a separate operation, security forces arrested two hardcore cadres of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and its political wing, the Revolutionary People’s Front (RPF), from the Waithou Sangomsang area in Thoubal district.

The arrested militants were identified as Sanasam Sanamatum Meitei alias Tompok alias Oneman, 32, and Yengkokpam Premchand Singh alias Chingsanglakpa, 26.

In another operation, security forces recovered a cache of arms, ammunition and explosive materials from the India-Myanmar border areas in the Tengnoupal district. The recovered items included a country-made gun, a 9 mm pistol with a magazine, a .22 US-made pistol with a magazine, four radio sets, and four Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).

–IANS

sc/vd