UGs under SoO displace villagers
Govt sends additional force to Kangpokpi area
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, February 23 2011: As many as 45 villagers of Motbung, Sapermaina and Kangpokpi areas of Senapati district were displaced owing to threats imposed on them, allegedly by activists of the Kuki National Front-President (KNF-P), to leave their homes.

They are taking shelter at the community hall at Koujengleima under Sekmai PS while some of them have reached Imphal.

Most of them are women and children of men running businesses in the areas, and are minority groups.

According to some of the displaced people, two unknown persons came to Motbung and Sapermaina and picked and took away five selected persons saying that the chief of Motbung wanted to meet them to discuss certain matters.

After walking some distance, they were taken in a Maruti Gypsy to a designated camp of the KNF (P) where they found six other persons from Sapermaina area already there.

A leader of the group in the camp informed them that a non-Manipuri by the name Sagar Prashad (14) son of Suresh Prashad from Uttar Pradesh and presently residing at Sapermaina, running a hardware shop, had been kidnapped by KCP (MC) in connection with a ransom demand of ' 50,000 .

Kangpokpi area is their operational area.

When KCP(MC) indulges in the act of kidnapping people in the area, it hurt the image of the group and they charged that the KCP (MC) could resort to kidnappings only because of their (the picked-up persons) presence in the area the KNF(P) leader alleged, the displaced people said.

The leader further informed that they could have launched operations against KCP(MC) but if the operations had started difficulties could have been befallen to them, particularly to those providing shelter to KCP (MC) activists.

He threatened the 11 persons called up in the camp that they would be killed if the KCP(MC) fails to release Sagar Prashad unharmed.

The displaced people are being provided shelter in the community hall at Koujengleima by the Sekmai Advance Women Society.

A team of UCM led by its vice president Y Nabachandra also rushed to Sekmai to interact with the displaced persons.

There were reports of more people taking shelter in other Kangpokpi and Sapermaina areas.

But these people were blocked by the Sapermaina police at its gate on NH 39 with the assurance that adequate security protection would be provided to them.

Government has sent additional force for providing security to the people facing threats, said SPF spokesperson, N Biren.

He said that government has taken up steps to maintain peace and harmony in the area.

MLA Thangminlien Kipgen of Kangpokpi A/C along with members of ADC Kangpokpi have also visited the displaced people at Sekmai and asked them to return to their respective houses assuring full security to them.

But, the displaced people refused to go back saying that they would wait for the latest developments.

Comment