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KOHIMA : Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has strongly condemned the killing of six Nagas in Manipur, describing it as a “horrific and inhuman” act and demanding immediate action against those responsible, while urging people across Nagaland, Manipur and Naga-inhabited areas to maintain peace and restraint. In a statement on X, Rio said the incident was particularly painful because it came after Naga organisations had facilitated the safe release of 14 hostages who were in their custody, ensuring their well-being, safety and dignity throughout their captivity. The Manipur Police on Wednesday said they found the mortal remains of six people, suspected to be of missing Naga men, who had been held hostage by armed groups in Kangpokpi district. The chief minister said the release of the 14 hostages was carried out in response to appeals from church organisations led by the Baptist World Alliance and following consultations with Naga civil society groups. Rio said he had personally participated in deliberations aimed at securing their release in keeping with the humanitarian and Christian values of the Naga people. Rio credited the United Naga Council (UNC) and other apex Naga organisations for exercising restraint and choosing the path of compassion and peace despite what he described as an “extremely volatile situation”. He said the safe release of all 14 hostages reflected the Naga people’s commitment to human dignity even under difficult circumstances. However, he said appeals for the reciprocal release of six Naga hostages allegedly held by members of the Kuki community ended in tragedy, with the six individuals reportedly killed instead. The chief minister termed the incident shocking and beyond comprehension, saying it had deeply wounded the conscience of the Naga people. Rio urged the Government of India and Manipur government to take urgent measures to ensure justice, calling for those responsible to be identified, apprehended and prosecuted under the law. “Accountability is essential. Only through a fair, transparent and credible process can a measure of confidence be restored among the people,” he said. The chief minister further called on authorities to take impartial steps to ensure the safety and security of all communities, warning that any erosion of public trust in government institutions would further aggravate the already fragile situation in Manipur. Appealing for calm, Rio urged citizens, particularly Naga communities in Manipur, Nagaland, the wider Northeast and Myanmar, not to allow grief and anger to fuel further violence. He called for unity, vigilance and adherence to the principles of peace, justice and human dignity. Rio also conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families and expressed solidarity with the victims, saying the entire Naga community stood with them during the difficult period. (Source: PTI)    

GUWAHATI : Deputy Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi on Thursday urged for a swift, impartial and transparent investigation into the killing of six Naga civilians in Manipur and said those responsible must be identified and brought to justice without delay. Manipur continues to endure the effects of prolonged conflict, with peace and normalcy still remaining elusive more than three years later, Gogoi said in a post on X. ”The brutal killing of six Naga civilians in Manipur is a deeply distressing tragedy. My heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims as they cope with this immense loss”, Gogoi, also the Assam state Congress president, said. “Innocent lives continue to be lost, while communities across the state remain burdened by fear and uncertainty,” he said. This tragic incident underscores the urgent need for lasting peace and accountability, he added. ”There must be a swift, impartial and transparent investigation into this heinous crime, and those responsible must be identified and brought to justice without delay.” Gogoi asserted. The Manipur Police on Wednesday said they found the mortal remains of six people, suspected to be of missing Naga men, who had been held hostage by armed groups in Kangpokpi district. The recovery took place a day after 14 Kuki individuals who were abducted by armed groups in Manipur’s Senapati district nearly a month ago were released. (Source: PTI)      

AGARTALA : The Tipra Motha Party (TMP), an ally of the ruling BJP in Tripura, on Thursday asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised ending all pending issues in the Northeast region. TMP founder Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma also claimed that Delhi understood that the Tiprasa, or indigenous, people in the state have genuine issues following his party’s recent victory in the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) elections. The TMP registered a massive win in the April polls in tribal council elections by bagging 24 out of 28 seats, while the BJP, which fought separately, secured four seats. “The Prime Minister has talked to me (during the celebration of 12th years of Narendra Modi in office at Bharat Mandapam) and enquired about the health of my mother (Maharani Bibhu Kumari Devi). He emphasised making attempts to resolve all the pending issues in the Northeast,” Debbarma said in a video. “I, along with MLA Ranjit Debbarma, met the Director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and the new interlocutor at the Ministry of Home Affairs in Delhi today. There will be advancement in the Tiprasa Accord,” he said without throwing much light on the outcome of the meeting. The TMP signed an agreement with the Centre and the state government in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah in March 2024 for the overall development of the Tiprasa people. Asserting that he is on the ‘right track’ in negotiating the accord with the Centre, Debbarma claimed that the Tiprasa people who voted for various political parties such as the Congress, CPI(M), BJP, Tripura Upajati Yuba Samity (TUJS) have gained nothing in the past 75 years. “We must focus on the rights of indigenous people rather than politics. Too much politics weakens us. If the PM and Union home minister could bring solutions to problems like those of the Naga, Mizo, Bodoland and Dimasa, why do our issues remain unresolved? We will continue to engage in discussions with those in power in Delhi,” he said. The TMP, which used to be the main opposition party of Tripura, joined the BJP-led government ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in 2024. (Source: PTI)      

IMPHAL : The Manipur government will not remain as a mute spectator to atrocities, Manipur Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh said on Thursday, after police found the mortal remains of six people suspected to be of missing Naga men, who had been held hostage by armed groups in Kangpokpi district. Six persons of the Naga community were abducted from Leilon Vaiphei village in Kangpokpi district on May 13. In an official statement, the CM said the state government won’t tolerate such violence, and “will not remain a mute spectator to these atrocities”. “Culprits responsible for the murder will be arrested and punished as per law,” Singh said. The bodies were recovered a day after 14 Kuki individuals who were abducted by armed groups in Manipur’s Senapati district nearly a month ago, were released on June 9. “After nearly 24 hours of sustained search operations involving around 450 personnel of the Manipur Police, CRPF, and Assam Rifles, assisted by sniffer dogs and forensic expert teams, the mortal remains of six persons were recovered this afternoon. The deceased are believed to be among those taken hostage from Leilon Vaiphei on May 13, 2026,” the police said in a post on X on Wednesday. These 14 Kuki people and the six Nagas were among others who were abducted following the killing of three church leaders in Kangpokpi district on May 13. In a post on X, the chief minister later said: “Deeply anguished by the brutal murder of six innocent Naga villagers abducted from Leilon Vaiphei village, Kangpokpi district. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families.” “The Government of Manipur strongly condemns this heinous act and is committed to ensuring that the perpetrators are brought to justice. The case is being investigated by the NIA. Violence has no place in our society. We remain steadfast in our commitment to peace, security, and the rule of law in Manipur,” Singh said. An NIA team visited the JNIMS mortuary in Imphal, after the bodies of the six men were brought to the hospital around 2 am, as part of its investigation into the killing. Meanwhile, protesters allegedly vandalised the Naga Peoples’ Front Manipur unit office at Liangmai Taphou in Senapati district late on Wednesday, after the bodies were recovered by the police. Furniture and other office property were set afire by the agitators, officials said. Miscreants also torched two trucks near a school in Karong area on Wednesday evening, they said. The United Naga Council, the apex body of Nagas in Manipur, has imposed a 24-hour shutdown in parts of the state from 6 am on Thursday to protest againt the killing. (Source: PTI)