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An apex assemblage of Naga women successful Manipur petitioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi connected Wednesday (May 20, 2026), seeking the Centre’s involution for the merchandise of six Naga men allegedly held hostage by Kuki groups. They besides demanded the abrogation of agreements signed with respective Kuki extremist groups.
The entreaty of the Naga Women’s Union (NWU) followed a memorandum from the Kuki-Zo Council, an apex assemblage of Kuki-Zo communities successful the conflict-scarred State, to the Prime Minister connected May 18. The Kuki assemblage had sought the harmless merchandise of 14 Kuki men, including 3 insignificant students, allegedly held hostage by Naga groups.
The latest hostage situation deed Manipur aft unidentified gunmen ambushed and killed 3 Thadou religion leaders connected May 13. A conception of Thadous assertion it is simply a people autarkic of the Kuki tag.
Six hostages remain
On Wednesday (May 20, 2026), hundreds of NWU members staged protests successful the Naga-majority elevation districts — Chandel, Kamjong, Noney, Senapati, Tamenglong, and Ukhrul — to request the merchandise of the six Naga captives and the abrogation of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreements.
The Centre signed the SoO deals with much than 20 Kuki and Zomi tribe-based extremist groups successful 2008. Some of these groups allegedly run successful Myanmar arsenic well.
In the memorandum to the Prime Minister, the NWU said Kuki extremists had abducted 20 Naga civilians, 14 of whom were released successful speech for an adjacent fig of Kuki hostages connected May 15. The national identified the remaining abductees arsenic religion leaders Manu Thiumai, Henpibou, Phenrongwibou, Phenringlungbou, Dilip, and Kaliwangbou.
The NWU besides demanded that the Centre apprehension and prosecute each those progressive successful the abductions, present justness to Wilson Thanga, a Naga villager killed successful the Noney territory connected May 13, and guarantee the welfare, rehabilitation, and extortion of the women who had been released.
Attacks by equipped men
Officials said the information forces were continuing their search-and-rescue operations.
In the State’s capital, Imphal, a Tangkhul Naga delegation from Ukhrul territory met Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh, and urged him to deploy India Reserve Battalion unit astatine Sinakeithei, a susceptible village.
The delegation said repeated attacks by equipped men connected the colony successful the caller past resulted successful an ambiance of changeless fear, insecurity, and distress among the villagers.
The Chief Minister noted the delegation’s concerns and said disarming radical with firearms successful each parts of the State was an urgent need.
