UNLF chairman RK Meghen returned to Manipur a free man after three decades of underground life and a decade in jail.
He landed at Imphal’s Tulihal airport at 1.27 pm on Thursday on an Indigo Airlines flight along with his son, RK Chinglen.
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The UNLF leader received a warm welcome by members of different meira paibi organisations at the airport arrival gate.
He will be visiting Kangla and Hicham Yaichampat to pay his respects.
Meghen alias Sanayaima left Manipur, who went underground in 1975, was arrested by the Bangladesh Police and handed over to India in 2010.
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He was released from prison on November 9 after serving a full sentence of 10 years.
“We are very happy that a true son of the soil is returning to his motherland after 44 years,” said Longjam Memchoubi of Poirel Leimarol Meira Paiba at the reception.
“We were waiting for our son who has sacrificed his life for Manipur,” she said at the airport.
On his release from Guwahati central jail, Meghen was taken to Delhi by central agencies on November 10 and kept at an undisclosed guest house in Delhi.
Home ministry officials said Meghen was taken to Delhi because the ‘ timing was not conducive for Meghen to return to Manipur.’
A human rights activist had filed a case of arbitrary detention with Manipur Human Rights Commission.
It is not clear why Meghen has now been allowed to return and whether he has had ‘useful discussions’ with Indian government officials.