3 min readGuwahatiUpdated: Jun 2, 2026 05:18 AM IST
Tensions gripped Manipur’s Senapati district during discussions about the release of 14 Kuki men who have been held captive by Naga groups as part of a nearly three-week-long hostage crisis in the state.
Amid tensions between the state’s Kuki and Naga communities, dozens of villagers from both sides had been abducted and held captive by groups on the other side in Kuki-Zo-majority Kangpokpi district and Naga-majority Senapati district on May 13. After a day-long stand-off, both sides had released 14 such captive individuals each. However, Naga groups in Senapati continue to hold on to 14 captives, demanding the release of six people who they claim were abducted by Kuki groups and are now missing. Kukis have denied this allegation and have claimed that they released all their hostages.
With security forces unable to locate the six Naga men and the hostage crisis continuing to draw out, different quarters have been urging Naga groups to release the 14 Kuki men in their custody.
On Monday afternoon, a member of the United Naga Council, a top Naga body headquartered in Senapati, told The Indian Express that discussions were underway to release the 14 hostages. This followed communications from the state government and the Chief Ministers of both Nagaland and Meghalaya.
Nagaland Chief Minister and Naga People’s Front president Neiphiu Rio had written to the United Naga Council. He said that he had requested Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s personal intervention to trace the missing men and secure their release.
He appealed to the organisation to “prevail upon” the volunteers holding the 14 Kuki men and “facilitate their safe and unconditional release”, and urged them to “continue taking this matter up with all concerned authorities and stakeholders to extend fullest support towards efforts aimed at securing the safe and early release of the six abducted Naga persons”.
Similarly, on Monday, Meghalaya Chief Minister and National People’s Party president Conrad Sangma wrote to the presidents of both the Kuki Inpi Manipur and United Naga Council appealing for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.
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The Home Department of the Manipur government had also appealed to the UNC to facilitate the release of the hostages, stating that the case related to the missing men has been transferred to the NIA, along with continuing search operations.
However, with other Naga groups expressing discontentment over this potential release without the six men being located and rescued, the UNC issued a statement that the plan was “cancelled”, citing “prevailing sentiments of Naga public”. A crowd had reportedly attempted to storm the UNC’s office on Monday evening.
“The office of the UNC tried to intervene and prevail upon the Naga Village Guards for the safe release of the detainees. Now, the programme stands cancelled,” said a UNC member.
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