Taphou Kuki Villagers Free Detained Naga youths in Volatile Manipur

Manipur: In a crucial move that defused a potentially explosive situation, villagers of Taphou Kuki in Manipur released two detained Naga youths following successful joint negotiations led by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Senapati Police.

The two individuals, identified as PS Khopuh (39) and Joseph (44), both residents of Senapati district, were intercepted by villagers along National Highway-2. According to a statement issued by the Taphou Kuki Village Authority, the duo had crossed the Liangmai Taphou Check Post in an inebriated state, driving at high speed toward the village. They were taken into temporary custody for their own safety and to prevent local disturbances.

The incident occurred against a highly volatile backdrop. Just hours prior, security forces had recovered the mutilated bodies of two missing Kuki-Zo youths—Thangginlun Chongloi (21) and Paoginlal Hangsing (20)—from a banana plantation in the adjoining Senapati district, triggering massive protests, highway blockades, and a total shutdown called by the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU).

Recognizing the risk of rapid escalation, personnel from the F/152, F/36, and D/169 Battalions of the CRPF swiftly intervened alongside local police. A joint negotiation was convened at the residence of the Taphou Kuki village chief to broker a peaceful resolution.

Following the talks, the village authority agreed to hand over the youths and their vehicle on humanitarian grounds. In an official document witnessed by the Kangpokpi Police, the Taphou Kuki Village Authority stated that the handover was executed "in the interest of public safety, peaceful coexistence, and the maintenance of law and order".

Security officials praised the restraint shown by the villagers, noting that the peaceful resolution marks a vital breakthrough in maintaining calm amidst deep regional mistrust.

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