UKHRUL/KANGPOKPI: Two Naga youths, who were handed over to Senapati Police on November 1 following negotiations involving Naga civil society organisations (CSOs), CRPF personnel and police representatives. A handover document dated November 1, issued by the Taphou Kuki Village Authority, confirmed that the two individuals were handed over to the OC, Senapati, for their safety, supervision and necessary action.
According to a Taphou Kuki VA, the incident occurred at around 9 pm on November 1, when the two youths crossed the Liangmai Taphou Check Post and allegedly proceeded towards Taphou Kuki village along National Highway-2 at high speed.
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The youths were subsequently apprehended by villagers and taken into temporary custody for their safety and to prevent any untoward incident or disturbance in the locality, VA said. The VA in its document, witnessed by Kangpokpi Police, said that two were found in an inebriated condition and detained by villagers at Taphou Kuki village.
The two individuals were identified as PS Khopuh, 39, son of D. Saul, of Phuba Khuman, Maram, and Joseph, 44, son of Veikhai, of Taphou Phyamai, both in Senapati district.
Following appeals from Naga civil society organisations, a joint negotiation was held at the residence of the Taphou Kuki village chief in the presence of Assistant Commandant Sunil Saini, company commander of F/152 Battalion CRPF, his team and representatives of Senapati Police, the document said.
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Per VA, following successful negotiations and mutual understanding, the two youths, along with their vehicle, were handed over to Senapati Police as a gesture of goodwill on humanitarian grounds.
The document also stated that the handover was carried out in the interest of public safety, peaceful coexistence and the maintenance of law and order. The receiving party was requested to ensure their safe return home and take necessary measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
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The development comes days after Senapati Police and Assam Rifles rescued a Kuki man, identified as Laljahao Saum, 39, from Senapati bazaar on October 30, after he was stranded in the district due to the 48-hour shutdown called by the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU). According to police sources, he was found in an intoxicated condition and was subsequently released after being bound down. The Assam Rifles facilitated his onward movement towards Kangpokpi.
In that incident, police clarified that the individual had neither been harassed nor arrested.
