Manipur violence: Evacuation continues; 25 more people reach Nagaland

KOHIMA: A day after evacuating 676 stranded people from Manipur, the government of Nagaland has deployed 15 more buses to bring back its citizens who are still in violence-hit state and want to return home.

A source informed Eastern Mirror that the convoy comprising Nagaland State Transport (NST), buses carrying security personnel and ambulance, reached Imphal on Monday evening, and will return to the state after picking up stranded people on Tuesday.

It is part of the Assam Rifles’ rescue mission called ‘Operation Kohima Calling – II. The Indian army and police officers along with SDPO, Kohima, and a DSP traffic are said to be part of the rescue operation.

Meanwhile, the AR battalion of Bishnupur in Manipur rescued about 25 people from Nagaland and Meghalaya, comprising Catholic priests and brothers as well as construction workers, and escorted them to Jakhama in its truck on Monday evening before returning to Manipur to rescue more people.

Kunietso Peter Hesuh, supervisor of St. Xavier Catholic School at Moirang in Bishnupur district of Manipur, told this newspaper that they reached Jakhama village safely on Monday evening.

Recalling the ordeal, he said that he contacted the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) and state police officials for assistance following violence outbreak on May 3 before the state government’s helpline numbers.

An MLA from the state gave them a call, informing how he had reached out to the DGP of Nagaland to evacuate them, but no help came. So, they sought the help of the Assam Rifles stationed at Bishnupur, who responded positively and brought them to Jakhama.

Hesuh apprised that seven of them would put up at their relatives’ houses in Kohima before heading to their native village Porba in Phek on Tuesday, while the rest were taken shelter at Loyola Higher Secondary School in Jakhama,

He exuded hope that the government will provide timely help and evacuate those still stranded at Moirang.

 When asked about the situation in Manipur, Hesuh replied, “It is still critical”.