Shillong, June 11: National People’s Party (NPP) president and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on June 10 strongly condemned the killing of six Naga civilians in Manipur, describing the incident as a senseless act of violence and urging that those responsible be brought to justice without delay.
In a statement, Sangma termed the killings “deeply disturbing and wholly unacceptable” and expressed solidarity with the families of the victims.
“I strongly and unequivocally condemn the brutal killing of six Naga civilians. This senseless act of violence is deeply disturbing and wholly unacceptable,” he said.
The statement came after Manipur Police recovered the bodies of six persons believed to be among the Naga men abducted by armed groups from Leilon Vaiphei village in Kangpokpi district on May 13.
Sangma said the tragedy was particularly painful because it had occurred despite efforts by the United Naga Council (UNC) to create conditions conducive to dialogue, reconciliation and peaceful engagement.
“What makes this tragedy even more heartbreaking is that it occurred despite the goodwill and sincere efforts extended by the UNC to create an atmosphere conducive to dialogue, reconciliation and peaceful engagement. A gesture intended to build trust and foster understanding has instead been met with violence, resulting in the loss of innocent lives and immense suffering for their families and communities,” he said.
Expressing his condolences to the bereaved families, the Meghalaya Chief Minister said there could be no justification for the killing of innocent civilians and called upon all stakeholders to act with restraint.
“At this difficult moment, I urge all concerned to exercise restraint and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice. Lasting peace can only be built through mutual respect, dialogue and a commitment to resolving differences through peaceful means rather than violence,” Sangma added.
According to Manipur Police, the bodies were recovered after nearly 24 hours of sustained search operations involving around 450 personnel from the Manipur Police, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Assam Rifles, assisted by sniffer dogs and forensic experts.
“The deceased are believed to be among those taken hostage from Leilon Vaiphei on May 13, 2026,” the police said in a post on X.
The recovery of the bodies came a day after 14 Kuki individuals, who had allegedly been abducted by armed groups in Manipur’s Senapati district nearly a month ago, were released.
Earlier, both Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio had appealed for the safe release of the six Naga hostages.
The incident has once again underscored the fragile security situation in Manipur, where recurring ethnic tensions and sporadic violence continue to affect several districts.
