Imphal: The demand for justice for six slain Naga civilians gathered momentum on Monday as hundreds of people from both Naga and Meitei communities jointly staged a sit-in protest at Naga Namdilong village in Kanglatongbi, Imphal West.
Organised by the Justice for Six Sons of Koubru United Committee (J6SKUC) under the theme “Justice for the Six Naga Brothers”, protesters displayed placards bearing slogans such as “Justice Delayed is Justice Denied”, “No More Silence, We Demand Justice”, and “We Want Justice for Our Brothers”.
The protesters reiterated five key demands: the immediate arrest and prosecution of those responsible for the killings; abrogation of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement; declaration of the Kuki National Front-Presidential (KNF-P) as a terrorist organisation; removal of Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen from office; and eviction of what they described as illegal villages.
Jurish Abonmai, a committee member of the Joint Coordination Committee under the United Naga Council (UNC), said the protest was organised to seek justice for the six Liangmai Naga civilians who were allegedly abducted on May 13 and whose mutilated bodies were recovered on June 10.
He said the victims’ mortal remains are still being kept at the mortuary of the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS), as their families continue to await justice.
Abonmai alleged that despite repeated appeals over the past two-and-a-half months, the authorities have failed to arrest those responsible for the killings.
He claimed that women survivors, including family members of the victims who were released after the abduction, had identified the alleged perpetrators, and that their names, photographs and other details had already been submitted to the authorities.
However, he alleged that no meaningful action had followed and that the accused remained at large despite the information being made available.
He urged both the state and Central governments to conduct a thorough investigation and bring those responsible to justice at the earliest.
The six men were among a group of 18 Nagas who were reportedly abducted from Leilon Vaiphei village in Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi district on May 13.
While 12 of the hostages were released the following day, the remaining six were reported missing until their dismembered bodies were recovered on June 10.
The killings triggered widespread condemnation and protests by Naga civil society organisations, which demanded the immediate arrest of those responsible.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is probing the case, has so far arrested four persons in connection with the killings.
Also Read: Himalayan Headache: Why Sikkim’s fiscal deficit is a problem