Manipur MP demands Amit Shah for immediate action on abducted Meitei youths

Manipur MP Angomcha Bimol Akoijam has written an urgent appeal to Home Minister Amit Shah, calling for the safe release of two Meitei youths abducted in Manipur. The incident marks a troubling escalation in the ongoing communal violence that has plagued the state since May 2023.

On September 27, three young men from Thoubal district were travelling to New Keithelmanbi for an SSC GD recruitment test when they were reportedly abducted by suspected armed members of the Kuki community. While one youth was rescued by Assam Rifles, two others - Oinam Thoithoi Singh and Thokchom Thoithoiba Meitei - remain in captivity.

"How did the Assam Rifles rescue only one out of the three youths who were travelling in the same vehicle still remains a mystery," Akoijam noted in his letter.

The MP revealed that the abductors are demanding the release of Mark T Haokip, currently in judicial custody in an NIA court case, and the transfer of Kuki prisoners out of Imphal jails. Akoijam strongly condemned these demands, stating, "Such hostage taking is a familiar global challenge... It should go without saying that putting up demands in exchange for the hostages is an act of terrorism and we as a country must not succumb to such terror tactics."

Akoijam emphasised the urgency of the situation, writing, "I earnestly urge you to use all the resources under your good office to ensure the safe release of Oinam Thoithoi Singh and Thokchom Thoithoiba Meitei. Their families are in deep distress, and their safety must be prioritized without delay."