Imphal: Five unknown persons armed with sophisticated weapons reportedly abducted the wife of a Naga village chief in Manipur’s Chandel district, bordering Myanmar to the south.
The village chief managed to flee from the attackers, reports stated on Friday.
The Chakpikarong branch of the Anal Lenruwl Tangpi (ALT), a student body of Chandel district, said in a release on Friday that the incident took place on the evening of March 19 at Ravalan village.
Village chief Sumpi Ngramrung was allegedly attacked by a group of around five armed militants, suspected to be Kuki militants.
The armed men entered the chief’s residence at around 7 pm while his family was inside. When Ngramrung tried to resist and protect his family, he was fired upon in an abortive attempt on his life.
The attackers then allegedly forced his wife into a waiting vehicle and fled towards the Sajik Tampak area, leaving the family and villagers shaken.
The ALT has strongly condemned the acts of the miscreants, describing them as a direct attempt on the life of the village chief. The ghastly acts come at a time when Manipur continues to face a fragile and painful conflict situation, it stated, adding that targeting a community leader and abducting his wife poses a serious threat to peace and communal harmony.
The ALT urged the concerned authorities to launch an immediate rescue operation for the abducted woman, ensure the swift arrest of those involved, and conduct a thorough and transparent investigation into the incident.
It also urged authorities to act without delay to prevent further escalation and ensure justice is delivered.