Imphal, May 15: Police said 31 of the 38 people taken hostage during recent violence in Manipur’s Kangpokpi and Senapati districts have been released, but several captives remain unaccounted for. At least six Naga men are still untraceable, authorities added.
“Twelve Naga women from Konsakhul village, who were allegedly held captive by armed Kuki militants, were released on Friday morning at Makhan village,” police said. Officials also confirmed that two Salesian brothers of Don Bosco, including one from Nagaland, were released separately by armed Kuki groups.
Home Minister K. Govindas Konthoujam said more than 38 people from different communities were taken hostage on Wednesday afternoon after tensions and violent incidents escalated across Kangpokpi and Senapati districts.
One of the women freed from Konsakhul described the ordeal to central security officials. She said the captives were blindfolded and repeatedly moved through mountainous, forested terrain under armed escort. Their hands were initially tied behind their backs while they were forced to walk over difficult ground, she said.
The woman added that although their hands were later untied, they remained blindfolded for most of their captivity and were even made to eat while blindfolded. She told officials that, despite the fear and harsh conditions, the group was not physically assaulted during detention.
Late Thursday night, 14 Kuki individuals — four men and 10 women — who were allegedly held in Senapati district were handed over to security forces. Earlier on Thursday evening, volunteers from a local youth group handed three more people, including an 18-year-old woman and a 40-year-old man from the Kuki community, to state police. A Meitei individual married to a tribal woman had been released earlier.
In a statement, the Naga Village Guard, Northern Command, said a woman hostage had been released on humanitarian grounds because of her age and gender following requests from civil society organisations in Senapati. The statement added that a Meitei individual was handed over to police after verification of his identity and insisted, “no individuals from the Zomi community were detained within the Senapati jurisdiction.”
Emotional reunions followed the handovers, with relatives embracing freed family members at several points after days of uncertainty.
Tensions remain high: Kuki groups, including the Taphou Kuki Village Authority, alleged that 23 villagers from Taphou Kuki village in Kangpokpi are being held by Naga groups. The Senapati-based Tahazam Youth Forum claimed responsibility for detaining several villagers from Taphou Kuki village, calling the action retaliation for the alleged abduction of 18 Naga civilians from Leilon Vaiphei village on May 13.
The United Naga Council urged Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh to secure the release of all remaining hostages by 6 pm on Friday, while Kuki Inpi Manipur issued a similar ultimatum demanding the release of all captives by 5 pm.
Original Source: https://assamtribune.com/manipur-hostage-crisis-31-of-38-captives-released-at-separate-locations
Category: North East,Featured
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Publish Date: 2026-05-15 10:17:00
