Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh on Thursday (October 3) announced the safe release of two of the three men, with one having already been rescued earlier, from the custody of armed militants, days after they were first held captive in the state's Kangpokpi region.
The Chief Minister, informing of the significant development, thanked the state and central government authorities who had worked tirelessly to ensure the youths' safe return after they were held captive by Kuki militants in the region.
He said, "The two young men abducted in Kangpokpi on 27th September 2024 have been safely brought back to the custody of Manipur Police. I sincerely appreciate everyone from both the state and central government who worked tirelessly to ensure their safe return."
"Your efforts are deeply valued," he added.
Significantly, the three men, identified as N. Johnson Singh, Th. Thoithoiba Singh, and O. Thoithoi Singh, reportedly went missing while on their way to a recruitment test for central forces at New Keithelmanbi in Manipur's Imphal West. While N. Johnson Singh was the first to be rescued, the release of the other two was confirmed by the CM.
According to the information received, the three youths, hailing from Thoubal district, were on their way to appear for the SSC GD recruitment test; however, they took a wrong turn, leading them into the Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi district. They were later allegedly held captive by Kuki militants.
Earlier, a purported viral video featuring the two missing youths, whose names were not ascertained, surfaced online. In the video, they were appealing to Chief Minister N. Biren Singh for their release. The two men, dressed in white T-shirts, were seen pleading with the Chief Minister to save their lives and fulfill the demands of their captors. However, no confirmed information about the kidnappers' demands was received.
In response to the situation, Chief Minister N. Biren Singh earlier held a meeting with the MLAs of the Manipur Assembly. On X (formerly Twitter), he shared details of the discussions held among the authorities. He said, "Held a meeting with all the MLAs from both the ruling and opposition parties at my secretariat today. Addressed the current situation in the state, particularly focusing on the rescue of the two innocent youths abducted by Kuki militants."
"We condemn such heinous acts, and our government is working to secure the safe release of the victims," he added.
