Imphal, Feb 22 : In a major breakthrough which could be a balm on Manipur’s wounds, chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh today announced the rescue of three government employees who had gone missing with three others whose bodies were recovered a few days ago.
The three were spotted by a joint team of police and the Assam Rifles.
Ibobi Singh told reporters that the joint forces found them “loitering” inside a jungle in Tolloi of Ukhrul district around 3am today. The three were safe. Ramsing Tangkhul, Ramthing Tangkhul, both village-level workers and Kh. Zimik, a peon, all from Ukhrul, went missing with sub-divisional officer Thingnam Kishan, his driver Aribam Rajen Sharma and chainman Yumnam Token from Ukhrul on February 13.
The SDO, driver and the chainman were found dead at Taphou in Senapati district on February 17 morning.
Neither Ibobi Singh nor the director-general of police, Yumnam Joykumar Singh, could say whether the rescued employees were freed by their abductors or whether they had escaped. “They are safe and sound. No physical harm was caused to them. The Assam Rifles will bring them to Imphal later today. It will take two to three days to know the details of the abduction and the identity of the kidnappers. Without interrogating them we cannot say anything at this moment,” the DGP said.
The breakthrough came during a series of raids led by inspector-general of police (Range-III) V. Zathang with help from the army and the Assam Rifles in Ukhrul district since February 18.
Ibobi Singh appealed to the joint action committee and Apunba Lup to accept the bodies of the three employees.
The two organisations submitted a charter of demands to him last night. The demands included rescue of the officials, criminal proceedings against suspended deputy commissioner of Ukhrul, Pankaj Kumar Pal, and punishment to culprits.
The government relaxed curfew for two hours from 1pm in greater Imphal today. Ibobi Singh hinted that the hours could be extended tomorrow after reviewing the situation. The additional chief secretary (home), D.S. Poonia, has urged the CBI to take over the case of the killings, Ibobi Singh said.