Demand for Engineer’s Release
Kakching residents set deadline:
Imphal, Feb 3: Kakching bazar observed a shutdown on Sunday in protest against the kidnapping of Naorem Keshwar Singh, an assistant engineer in the state electricity department, by cadres of an underground group on January 31.
Several hundred Kakching residents, including members of the family of abducted engineer, also staged a massive sit-in protest at the Irabot Park, Kakching bazar over the kidnapping. A joint action committee has also been formed to take further course of action in connection with the issue.
According to reports, shops and business establishments in the entire Kakching bazar, as well as vegetable and other vendors, also observed a shutdown in sympathy with the mass protest that began at 10 am in the morning.
It may be mentioned, assistant engineer Naorem Keshore Singh, hailing from Kakching Wairi Senapati Leikai, who is posted in the electricity department`s executive engineer`s office was abducted by unidentified gunmen on January 31 afternoon.
The underground People’s United Liberation Front, PULF, subsequently claimed responsibility for the kidnapping, and has demanded the ‘surrender’ of top officials of the electricity department for his safe release.
As part of the protest at Kakching, a public meeting was also held at the same venue from 2 pm in the afternoon, which unequivocally condemned the abduction of Keshwar, and issued an appeal seeking his release, safe and unharmed by 2 pm on Monday (February 4).
The meeting resolved that if Keshwar is not released within the given deadline, various forms of agitation would be resorted, and any untoward consequences arising would be the responsibility of the PULF. A joint action committee, headed by Naorem Lokendro Singh, has been formed to take necessary action in this regard.
The meeting took the stance that even if there is any disagreement between the PULF and the electricity department, it is unreasonable to victimise Keshwar, who is uninvolved, treating him as a scapegoat.
It also drew the state government`s urgent attention to the matter and urged it to take the necessary action.
Denouncing the trend of kidnapping people for ransom, the meeting urged all concerned not to repeat the same in future, particularly in view of the need to maintain cordial relations among communities.
Another public meeting was also held at Sora bazar on Sunday, denouncing the abduction of the engineer and calling for his safe release.
The public meeting, presided by Md Sikander, ex-panchayat member, took a serious view of the abduction, and urged the concerned organisation to release Keshwar safe and unharmed on humanitarian grounds and for the sake of his family, according to a release.
The meeting took the view that since Keshwar was abducted while on duty, his parent department had some responsibility to help secure his release and urged it to do the needful.
The meeting also shared the apprehension and anxiety of the abducted man’s family, and urged the concerned organisation to avoid such activities in the future.
Imphal, Feb 3: Kakching bazar observed a shutdown on Sunday in protest against the kidnapping of Naorem Keshwar Singh, an assistant engineer in the state electricity department, by cadres of an underground group on January 31.
Several hundred Kakching residents, including members of the family of abducted engineer, also staged a massive sit-in protest at the Irabot Park, Kakching bazar over the kidnapping. A joint action committee has also been formed to take further course of action in connection with the issue.
According to reports, shops and business establishments in the entire Kakching bazar, as well as vegetable and other vendors, also observed a shutdown in sympathy with the mass protest that began at 10 am in the morning.
It may be mentioned, assistant engineer Naorem Keshore Singh, hailing from Kakching Wairi Senapati Leikai, who is posted in the electricity department`s executive engineer`s office was abducted by unidentified gunmen on January 31 afternoon.
The underground People’s United Liberation Front, PULF, subsequently claimed responsibility for the kidnapping, and has demanded the ‘surrender’ of top officials of the electricity department for his safe release.
As part of the protest at Kakching, a public meeting was also held at the same venue from 2 pm in the afternoon, which unequivocally condemned the abduction of Keshwar, and issued an appeal seeking his release, safe and unharmed by 2 pm on Monday (February 4).
The meeting resolved that if Keshwar is not released within the given deadline, various forms of agitation would be resorted, and any untoward consequences arising would be the responsibility of the PULF. A joint action committee, headed by Naorem Lokendro Singh, has been formed to take necessary action in this regard.
The meeting took the stance that even if there is any disagreement between the PULF and the electricity department, it is unreasonable to victimise Keshwar, who is uninvolved, treating him as a scapegoat.
It also drew the state government`s urgent attention to the matter and urged it to take the necessary action.
Denouncing the trend of kidnapping people for ransom, the meeting urged all concerned not to repeat the same in future, particularly in view of the need to maintain cordial relations among communities.
Another public meeting was also held at Sora bazar on Sunday, denouncing the abduction of the engineer and calling for his safe release.
The public meeting, presided by Md Sikander, ex-panchayat member, took a serious view of the abduction, and urged the concerned organisation to release Keshwar safe and unharmed on humanitarian grounds and for the sake of his family, according to a release.
The meeting took the view that since Keshwar was abducted while on duty, his parent department had some responsibility to help secure his release and urged it to do the needful.
The meeting also shared the apprehension and anxiety of the abducted man’s family, and urged the concerned organisation to avoid such activities in the future.