Rikhumai Taphou village condemns
Source: The Sangai Express
Senapati, November 07 2023:
The mobile phones of two missing Meitei youths seem to be deliberately placed near the petrol pump, under the jurisdiction of Rikhumai Taphou village, with an ulterior motive to create trust deficit between communities living harmoniously for years and to malign the image of the village, said Rikhumai Taphou village and several bodies today.
Notably, this came after several bodies including the Naga Peoples' Organisation (NPO) condemned the incident asserting they suspect the mobile phones were intentionally planted near the petrol pump to drag the Nagas into the present conflict between Meiteis and the Kukis.
The two missing Meitei youth were suspected to have been kidnapped by unknown miscreants while they were on their way to Sekmai from Imphal on November 5, and their mobile phones were dropped off near the petrol pump to create trust deficit among different communities, said P Johna, chairman of Rikhumai Taphou Village Authority Council in a statement.
The Rikhumai Taphou Village Authority Council (RTVAC), Rikhumai Taphou Youth & Students' Organisation (RTYSO) and the Rikhumai Taphou Women's Society (RTWS) vehemently condemned the incident in the strongest terms.
They said the placing of the mobile phones under their jurisdiction was an attempt to malign the image of the village and its people.
They appealed to the law enforcing agencies and the crime branch to thoroughly investigate the incident, the facts and circumstances that led to the dropping of the phones.
The perpetrators should be found out at the earliest possible time and booked.
They should be given stringent punishment as a deterrent, they said.
The village authority and the bodies said they expect the authorities concerned to swiftly investigate the incident.