In Manipur, army, Assam Rifles join efforts to trace soldier’s abducted kin

Indian army and Assam Rifles personnel posted in Manipur joined the operation to search and rescue four family members of a serving soldier abducted in Imphal West district on Tuesday morning, people aware of the matter said on Wednesday.

Till late on Wednesday night, police and security forces were yet to achieve any breakthrough. The condition of the four people remains unknown.

Security officials said the soldier, Henthing Haokip, whose family members were abducted, is posted in Kashmir and attached to the Rashtriya Rifles — the Indian army’s counter-insurgency unit in Jammu and Kashmir.

The abduction came two days after two Meitei teenagers were abducted in Kangpokpi when they were on their way to meet a friend on a two-wheeler on November 5.

On Tuesday, Manipur Police told a court in Imphal that they suspected the two Meitei boys — N Anthony (19) and M Avinash (16), both residents of Imphal —might have been killed by cadres of militant outfit Kuki Revolutionary Army(U). Police have arrested two KRA(U) members, but are yet to find the bodies of the two boys, and there is no official confirmation on their condition.

At least 178 people have been killed and 50,000 displaced since May 3 when ethnic clashes between numerically dominant Meitei and tribal Kuki communities broke out.

Around 8.30 am on Tuesday, five Kuki people, all family members of the soldier, were travelling from Churachandpur to Kangpokpi [both Kuki-dominated districts] in a Mahindra Bolero car. However, they were intercepted and attacked allegedly by a group of Meiteis when they entered Imphal West [a Meitei-dominated district] on the border with Kangpokpi, a senior police officer said.

The soldier’s father Manglun Haokip (65), who was among the five, was rescued by security forces but the mob managed to abduct the other four. On Tuesday evening, Haokip was airlifted from Manipur to Dimapur in Nagaland. On Wednesday, he was shifted to the Guwahati military hospital in Assam.

“His condition is still critical. He has sustained multiple blunt wounds. Army officials are monitoring his health update,” an official said, requesting anonymity. “If need be and if suggested by the doctors, the army will take necessary action. We will assist the army soldier.”

The four abducted people have been identified as the soldier’s mother Nengkim (60), aunt Neilam (55), brother-in-law Jamkhotang (40) and cousin Thangjam Haokip (25). Their condition remains unknown.

“Army and Assam Rifles have joined the operation. The army is working on two fronts in this case. We coordinated with the civil administration to arrange a helicopter and airlifted the injured father of the soldier to Dimapur military hospital. Secondly, we have joined the operations and are working with other agencies to rescue the four abducted relatives of our soldier,” a defence officer said, declining to be named.

Manipur Police chief Rajiv Singh did not respond to calls and text messages from HT for a comment. “Imphal police are conducting search operations based on a tip off that the four may be held captive in Imphal. They are yet to get a breakthrough,” said a police officer, asking not to be named.

Haokip’s eldest son Thangbul, who spoke to HT over the phone, said, “My brother has got leave and is on his way to Guwahati to be with our father. We want the government to conduct an unbiased probe and trace my family before it is too late.” The two abductions in the span of two days have ratcheted up tensions.

According to the police documents, seen by HT, two KRA(U) cadres — Lhunkhosei Chongei (30) and Satgougin Hangsing (28) — were arrested and remanded in police custody till November 17. They are being questioned about their role in the alleged abduction of the two Meitei teens.

According to the police’s remand papers, seen by HT, the two Meitei boys were last seen at Gamgiphai, a Kuki-dominated village in Kangpokpi district, on Sunday before their phones were switched off. Police are yet to find the black Jawa motorcycle they were riding.