BJP Manipur calls for release of six abducted members of a family by militants

Imphal: Manipur BJP president Sharda Devi on Thursday called for the immediate release of the three women and three children allegedly abducted by militants in Jiribam district.

She termed the alleged abduction of six members of a family from Borobekra and Jakuradhor in Jiribam as "unfortunate" and demanded their release on humanitarian grounds.

"We demand the immediate release of the abducted six members of a family without any harm on humanitarian grounds. We from BJP appeal to them (armed miscreants) for their release", Sharda Devi told reporters at the BJP office here.

"We strongly condemn the violence on common people by armed miscreants. The violence which had renewed once again recently has left us devastated. The abduction of six members of a family is unfortunate. We met Governor (Lakshman Prasad Acharaya) in Assam who in front of us instructed officials to take actions against miscreants who are responsible for violence", she added.

Normal life was affected in Manipur's Imphal Valley on Wednesday due to a total shutdown called by 13 civil rights organisations to protest the alleged abduction of three women and three children by militants in Jiribam district.

Police said purported photographs of the six missing persons in captivity of militants doing the rounds on social media could not be confirmed and the rescue operations were on to trace them.

More than 200 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and adjoining hills-based Kuki-Zo groups since May last year. Ethnically diverse Jiribam, which was largely untouched by the clashes in Imphal Valley and the adjoining hills, witnessed violence after the mutilated body of a farmer was found in a field in June this year.