Over 600 more to be brought back by Monday: Patton
A total of 676 civilians including women and children were safely evacuated from violence-hit Manipur after 22 buses ferrying them reached the State capital, Kohima on Sunday afternoon at around 1 p.m.
The joint evacuation exercise named– “Operation Kohima Calling” was spearheaded by Assam Rifles in close coordination with Nagaland Police, NST, district administration and assisted by Angami Public Organisation, youth and student bodies.
The evacuees were accorded a warm welcome at a reception organized at the Inspector General of Police, (North), headquarters. State deputy chief minister Y. Patton along with host of senior officials and others were present to receive the
Addressing the gathering, Patton thanked God for the safe passage of the people, the Assam Rifles under the command of Brigadier, Ved Beniwal, who led the rescue team, Nagaland Police, state government, Angami Public Organization, Southern Angami Public Organization and other organizations involved in the exercise. He also informed that another batch of 650 people will be evacuated by Monday as 14 more buses have been despatched to Imphal.
Expressing regret for the delay, Patton said that due to logistic issues, as unlike other states, the state government could not arrange chartered flights since there were huge number of Nagas stranded in Manipur. Patton, however, assured that the process to bring back the rest of the people would begin by Monday.
He said the whole incident was “surreal” as the police helpline received more than 800 calls from students and other citizens.
The deputy CM also announced Rs. 5000 per household as financial aid to the evacuees.
In his brief speech, DGP Nagaland Rupin Sharma said the emphasis was on the safety of Nagas, as necessary arrangements were made to ensure maximum protection with the help of the Assam Rifles in Manipur.
He said with most of the connectivity and internet services down in Manipur, getting reliable input became a huge problem and therefore the State government had to make very calculated moves for the safety of the people. Rupin said that when all option had run out, the Assam Rifles readily came forward to help in the rescue mission by escorting the people to safety.
IGAR (N) Vikas Lakhera, in his brief remark, said the force was tasked with the responsibility to safely bring back the stranded people. Even if it was delayed, their safe return was successful and that was the goal, he added. He also disclosed that the rescue team would be returning to bring back the rest of the people.
Angami Public Organisation vice president, Neivor Rutsa thanked the Assam Rifles for safely bringing back the people from the violence-hit Manipur.
He pointed out that since it was a security matter of another state and that the State police force had limitations to operate, the paramilitary forces came forward to assist the people.
He said in such a situation government alone was not responsible alone, but a collective responsibility of everyone to ensure the safety of one another.
During the event, Angami youth and students bodies acknowledged the service rendered by Brig. Ved Beniwal, SDO (C) Jakhama Weku Zhieme, SDPO (North) Kohima Sheta Lohe and NST bus drivers who were part of the rescue team.
The reception was chaired by commandant 1st Assam Rifles, Col. Umesh Sati while APO official, Kevinourheno Seyie invoked God’s blessings.
Later in the evening, around six buses ferried residents of Dimapur while the rest went by taxis.
Earlier, the Mao Union Senapati along with women and youth organizations provided refreshment to all the returnees including security personnel at Senapati.
Evacuees recall harrowing experiences
Staff Reporter
Dimapur, May 7 (NPN): Several evacuees from Manipur’s Churachandpur district, who had arrived Dimapur Saturday from Tinsukia by train, recalled their harrowing experiences while being stranded in hostels in Manipur before being rescued and taken to shelter camps.
When Nagaland Post spoke to some of them, the evacuees recalled that they were caught right in between the mobs and narrowly escaped with their lives till they were rescued and sheltered by security forces.
One of the evacuees, a student pursuing electrical engineering from NIT, told Nagaland Post that, when mob violence broke out on May 3, the students attempted to flee from the university fearing the worst but were unable to do so on that day. While being stranded in the hostel, Manipur Rifles (MR) arrived and took them a shelter camp which already housed more than 5000 other people.
He said the area around the campus was supposed to have been sanitised as assured by the Manipur Rifles but it was not evident when mob violence continued. He expressed resentment that the MR force appeared more concerned with providing security to VIPs and protection to the locals. He said mob surrounded the camp, burnt tyres and chanted slurs directed at tribals sheltered inside. The camp lacked water and hygiene was very poor and food also was scarce. The student expressed deep anguish at the fate of those still remaining in such camps in Manipur.
He thanked the Assam Rifles (AR) for extending help by providing a third of their ration for the tribals in the camp. He also said the AR had escorted some of them to the airport from where they fellow to Tezu airport, Arunachal. From there, the evacuees took a train from Tinsukia and arrived Dimapur on Saturday.
Citing distorted reports that went viral on social media, as well as some media houses, he reiterated that the violence was not between Hindus and Christians or tribals against Meities or the Manipuris. He said violence broke out because the Biren Singh government chose to ignore the imminent inflammable situation even as late as on May 1. He said by its inaction, complicity and biasness the Biren Singh government in Manipur was responsible for whatever happened in Manipur.
The student urged upon the central government to directly intervene through President’s Rule so as to deploy security personnel to sensitive area and provide protection to people in mob-hit areas. He said additional security forces was needed to evacuate thousands of helpless people still isolated in highly sensitive areas.
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