Imphal: Thousands of protesters from the Naga and Meitei communities gathered in Imphal on Monday to demand the immediate rescue of six Naga civilians. The group, organized by the Naga People's Union, marched from the Tribal Market toward the Chief Minister's Secretariat to call for government intervention. Security forces intercepted the rally at the Palace Compound, where representatives were eventually allowed to proceed to meet with the Chief Minister.
The demonstrators wore traditional clothing and chanted slogans against the armed groups believed to be holding the hostages. According to the Naga People's Union, the six individuals have been in captivity for more than a week after being abducted from Leilon Vaiphei. Officials from the union stated that Kuki militants are responsible for the ongoing detention and warned that future protests will intensify if the government fails to secure the release of the captives.
Various valley-based civil society organizations, such as COCOMI and AMUCO, joined the demonstration to show solidarity with the affected families. Participants voiced concerns over the ongoing regional conflict, which has persisted for three years. The protesters also challenged the current political leadership and raised questions regarding the effectiveness of central security forces and existing suspension of operations agreements. The rally concluded after the union representatives delivered a formal memorandum requesting better protection for civilians and a swift end to the violence.
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