KANGPOKPI, April 6: Houmei Khangba, President of Thangal Union and village Chief of Tumnoupokpi under Kangpokpi police station of Senapati District who had been kidnapped at gun point by some unidentified armed persons has been released safe and sound today at around 2:30 pm.
H Khangba said he was not rescued nor was any money given to his abductors for his safe release. He said that he was released after it came to light that he was not the person who was to be kidnapped.
Speaking at his Tumnoupokpi residence today afternoon, Khangba who is a diabetic patient said, “I am very much safe and sound and thank all civil organizations, well-wishers and every individual who prayed and rendered every effort for my safe release”.
While recounting his story, Khangba said, “I was taken to some unknown place from my residence on that particular night itself when they abducted me. They kept me in one house during the night where only one old aged woman lived”.
“They did not tie my hand or blindfolded me and provided me a shawl to wear and passed the night without any disturbance. They also gave me medicine which I asked them since I am a diabetic patient”, he said.
“Early in the morning, we resumed our journey through the jungle. After some 3/4 hour,s we reached one hut like contraction in the jungle and where I was detained further,” added Khangba.
“The abductors told me that I am working against their party. I told them what is it and which party they belong to? But they did not come back with any satisfactory answer,” said Khangba who added that he did not suspect his abductors to be a cadre of KRA, KNF or IM and expressed his suspicion that they could be cadres of a newly formed organization.
He also said that they asked for Rs 10 lakh from him but later, he was informed by his family that the amount asked from the family was Rs 40 lakh.
“While they asked for such a hefty amount, I told them that I am not in a position to fulfill their hefty demand and told them my living status”, he said.
They have also interrogated me and I told them that I was once the member of the District Council Sadar Hills holding the post of Vice Chairman in the year 1984 to 1988 and built my residential building by availing loan from SBI, added Khangba.
“They further asked me where I got my Bolero and I told them it belonged to the Thangal Union”, he said while going on to add, “After several round of interrogation, they told me that they were sorry for abducting the wrong person and apologised for their mistake”.
“They asked one person on the way who came for jhum cultivation to drop me upto the main road and that person lead me to the maid road thereby I call up my family and they brought me home,” said Khangba.
Khangba also said the team was aware of the search operation conducted by a team of combined security forces.
Meanwhile family members of H Khangba, Thangal Union and Thangal Students’ Union (TAJ) expressed heartfelt gratitude to Thangal Union, NPO, UNC, SDSA, SDWA, SKWA, Mao Union, Poumei Union, Maram Union, Senapati Upper Zaliangrong Zone, Kuki Inpi Sadar Hills, KSO Sadar Hills, Tangkhul Long, Aze Longphang, KTC, SKTC and well-wishers and individual who prayed and rendered effort for the safe release of H Khangba, chief of Tumnoupokpi Village and President of Thangal Union. The two Union also lauded 59 Mt Brigade Brig SK Sharma (43), Assam Rifles Kangpokpi and Motbung Post, Kangpokpi Police personnel for their tremendous efforts.
YK Kaping, Vice president of Thangal Union prayed that such an unwanted incident should not take place again in future.