Kuki elders, youths help SFs rescue Meitei driver
Driver safely escorted back home
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 03 2024: Showing humanity amidst the violence and rekindling the hope for peace, a group of Kuki elders and youths helped the Central forces rescue a Meetei driver from a place which otherwise has been taken as unsafe for the Meiteis to venture let alone stay, today.

This is not the first time Meeteis have been rescued from the hill districts and the Kukis from the valley.

On December 26, volunteers of Arambai Tenggol rescued and safely handed over a Kuki lady who was found wandering around in North AOC, to Imphal East district police.

Kuki elders, youths help SFs rescue Meitei driver

The driver Konthoujam Dingku (25) of Thiyam Konjil Mayai Leikai in Thoubal was to take the BSF personnel to the headquarters of the Central force at Serou Practical High School in Kakching.

But he mistakenly took the road leading to T Lailoiphai, a Kuki village under Sangaikot Police Station in Churachandpur district.

Later on, he was identified as a Meetei by a group of Kuki volunteers who were checking passers-by at T Lailoiphai village and they tried to take the driver away with them.

There was a heated argument between the BSF personnel and the Kuki volunteers.

Amid the tension, Dingku was blindfolded and taken to a discreet place by a group of Kuki elders and youths from the unruly mob.

Blindfolded, presumably because the Kuki elders and youth who saved his life didn't want to take any credit for the humanity shown.

The driver was rescued by troops of Assam Rifles and BSF later.

Reportedly, a group of locals of Lailoiphai village stormed the house of their village chief and destroyed some household properties for letting the Meitei driver be rescued.

They also destroyed their bunkers set up at Lailoiphai village.

According to reliable information, personnel of 170 Battalion BSF were moving toward their headquarters located at Serou Practical High School Kakching district in five vehicles, one of which was driven by Dingku.

The convoy, however, mistaken took a wrong route and ventured to T Lailoiphai village under Sangaikot police station in Churachandpur instead.

At T Lailoiphai village, the BSF team was intercepted by a large number of Kuki mob including womenfolk and started verifying the drivers one after another.

All other drivers except Dingku were Muslims so that they didn't harm them.

Dingku, however, was pulled down by the mob and they tried to take him (the driver) away, following which a heated argument broke out between the mob and BSF personnel.

According to an audio recording of the driver having a conversation with the owner of the vehicle which went viral on social media, Dingku mentioned that he was blindfolded and taken toward a hill by some youth and village elders and kept there.

From there he was rescued by a team of Assam Rifles and BSF.

Dingku and the Bolero have been handed to Bishnupur police by Sangaikot police.