IMPHAL, Oct 3: Eleven Kuki-Zo inmates from Sajiwa Central Jail in Imphal were sent to Kangpokpi district on Thursday morning, days after being granted bail by a court, officials said.
“The inmates, who had been incarcerated for various offences, including drug-related charges, were recently granted bail by a local court,” an official said, noting that their release had been delayed due to the prevailing situation in the state.
The official, however, asserted that their release from jail and the freeing of two Meitei youths earlier in the day were unrelated.
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The two Meitei youths, held hostage by armed men in Kangpokpi district, were handed over to the district SP at Gamgiphai naka around 5 AM, seven days after their abduction on September 27. Escorted by police and the Assam Rifles, the two reached Imphal around 8 AM, officials confirmed.
However, the Kangpokpi district-based Committee on Tribal Unity (COTU) claimed that the release of the 11 inmates was a key demand in negotiations for freeing the youths.
A COTU representative stated in a video message, “Three men from Imphal valley were detained by our village volunteers. After our intervention, we managed to release one youth immediately. For the other two, our volunteers imposed certain conditions. Our first discussion with the DGP on September 29 did not materialise.”
He added, “Our initial demands included the transfer of all Kuki-Zo inmates from Sajiwa Central Jail to Churachandpur and the setting up of a police station. We requested the Centre to intervene, and with their assistance, we reached an amicable solution. The youths were released today, and according to our agreements, the 11 inmates have now been received at the Church compound in Saparmeina.”
Chief Minister N. Biren Singh had previously acknowledged that there were demands from the abductors. “There have been some demands regarding the transfer of certain inmates, but the government is working to release the youths unconditionally,” Singh said on September 30. (PTI)
