UNC president, Paul Leo kidnapped

IMPHAL, April 17: The president of the United Naga Council, UNC, KS Paul Leo, was kidnapped by unidentified armed men at Keithelmanbi, near Kangpokpi, on National Highway 39 from an Imphal bound passenger bus this afternoon. The UNC president was reportedly on his way from Karong to Imphal along with a friend. Reliable sources said the passenger bus in which they were traveling was stopped at around 12:30 pm at Keithelmanbi village, located about six kilometers south of Kangpokpi police station by about 10 well-armed men dressed in combat uniform, believed to be KNF (MC) cadres. After boarding the bus and checking the identities of the passengers, the armed men made KS Paul Leo and his companion, said to hail from Purul village, get down. The bus was then allowed to go with stern warnings not to inform the police. Paul's companion was released later, but the UNC president himself was taken away by the armed men, the sources said. On learning of the incident, the IG (ops), accompanied by a large security contingent, along with police officers posted at various police stations along NH-39 rushed to Kangpokpi to trace Paul Leo's whereabouts. Several Naga leaders and representatives of leading Naga organisations also converged on Kangpokpi police station upon hearing of the incident. Ministers M Thohrii, L Jonathan and Haokholet Kipgen have also reportedly joined efforts to trace the missing UNC president. The exact motive behind the kidnapping is unclear, but it is believed to be a fallout of renewed hostilities between sections of the Kukis and Nagas in the wake of the recent clashes between the recent and the NSCN(IM)-KRA combine. Mention may be made that at least seven villagers were massacred at Keithelmanbi last Thursday night in an attack blamed on the NSCN(IM)-KRA group. Several Naga organisations, including the All Naga Students Association, Manipur, ANSAM, the Chandel Naga Public Organization, and the Kohima-based Naga Students Federation, NSF have expressed concern at KS Paul Leo's kidnapping and appealed for his safe release. Paul Leo, brother of Benjamin Banee, ex-MLA, has been a tireless human rights activist and in the past extended his support, moral as well as physical in fighting human rights violations not just amongst the Nagas but also other communities. He has also been an active member of the Naga People's Movement for Human Rights, NPMHR. In a separate incident, another passenger bus coming from Dimapur towards Imphal was stopped by some youth at Sapermeina at around 1:30 pm today, and two passengers, identified as Ningthamlen Tangkhul and his wife Khurkabi Sema were detained for some time. The couple were however later released with an admonition not to inform the police.