Free them, urge Sekmai CSOs
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 03 2018:
Sekmai Protection Committee (SPC) and Advance Women Society Sekmai (AWSS) have strongly condemned the abduction of three labourers of Shivalaya Construction Co.
Pvt Ltd on November 29 from Khwairakpan Kursong Awang Sekmai by unidentified suspected Kuki militants.
Speaking at a press meet held at the work site camp at Khwairakpan Kursong today, president of SPC, Angom Rajesh, narrated that on the night of November 29, six unknown individuals fully armed with automatic assault rifles and speaking Kuki dialect detained three locals who were guarding the site at gun point.
The armed individuals force the locals to open the gate to the labour camp and forced labourers to arrange themselves in some groups before abducting three non Manipuri labourers from the spot.
The abductors also took away 17 mobile phones, he added.
Police have launched search operations in many parts of the State to rescue the abducted individuals but with no success, he said adding that till date there has been no clarification from the abductors about why the three non locals were taken away.
He asked why the labourers have been abducted and explained that no monetary demand was given prior to the incident adding that outsiders or workers are not kept in the area without the consent of the locals and all outsiders or workers in the area were there for some purpose.
Shivalaya Construction came to construct roads in the State with the permission from the Government and as such, they requested the CSOs of Sekmai to grant permission for the work site camp which was approved by the locals, Rajesh explained.
Out of the 17 mobile phones taken away by the miscreants, one belonged to the secretary of Sekmai Protection Committee and had some important documents in it, he said and cautioned that if the miscreants do not hand over the phone as well as the three abducted individuals at the earliest, there will be negative consequences.
He also appealed to all the Kuki CSOs to help in ensuring the safe release of three labourers.
On the other hand, secretary of Advance Women Society Sekmai, Th Amubi, said that the locals of Sekmai were saddened to hear the abduction of the three labourers and warned that if the abductors do not release them as soon as possible, the locals will launch a joint protest from December 6, Thursday.
If the State Government also fails to rescue the abducted individuals within these few days, a strike along the National Highway cannot be ruled out, she further warned.