Imphal, April 3: Residents of a Manipur locality today staged a sit-in to protest an attempt to abduct a PWD official from his residence in Imphal West district on Thursday.
Two gunmen, believed to be members of a rebel group, had tried to abduct Thangbajm Ibomcha Singh, a section officer of the Manipur public works department. The incident came to light today when residents of Khonghampat Awang Leikai staged a sit-in at the local community hall, demanding that the group responsible should clarify the abduction attempt and stop trying to create terror.
The official’s wife, Thangjam Modhubala Devi, said two unknown youths came to their house around 7pm on Thursday, when the family was about to sit down to dinner.
“The two youths wanted to meet my husband. When he asked them who they were and why they wanted to meet him, one of them said his leader wanted to meet him. When my husband told them that they should come to his office, one of them took out a small gun, put it to my husband’s head and asked him to go with them. A scuffle followed as my husband tried to escape. Intervention by our neighbours foiled the abduction attempt,” she said. “Before leaving, the youths told us that their senior leader, K.K. Ngaanba, wanted to talk to my husband on some matters but they did not give any reason” she added.
Modhubala Devi said her husband had not received any monetary demand from any outfit and could not say who the youths were. “They did not tell us who they were but we suspect that they belong to an armed group,” she said.
“My husband went to office yesterday, but could not work. He fears the unknown persons will target him again. The government should do something,” she said.
A woman protester said, “We oppose kidnapping of innocent persons for ransom. Such incidents should not be repeated in the area.”
Police said they had not received any complaints about the incident but had heard about it and were probing it.
Manipur sit-in against kidnap
