NSCN abducted, killed SDO, claims wife

Imphal: The wife of the slain Ukhrul district SDO, Th Kishan, has claimed that she was informed by an office employee that her husband was in the custody of NSCN(IM) after he was abducted on February 13. Romita said since her husband did not contact her on the day he was abducted, she enquired at her husband's office on February 15 and was informed by an employee that he had been kidnapped by the militants, Romita told reporters on Thursday.

She claimed she was also informed by an officer posted at Phungyar, that Kishan was in the custody of the NSCN(IM), but safe and negotiations were going on for his release.

Romita said her family met a Naga MLA on February 16 and urged him to influence the NSCN(IM) to release Kishan unharmed.

She said the family was told that Kishan had been 'abducted by the NSCN(IM) to discuss some points of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme' being implemented at Kasom Khullen area.

Romita, claimed she received a call from an official from the office of the deputy commissioner of Ukhrul district enquiring whether Kishan had a BSNL mobile phone.

After some time Romita said she said received an SMS saying "Please SMS sir Kishan driver's number. DC (deputy commissioner) wants to meet. important."

Unofficial sources said Kishan refused to sign papers produced by his kidnappers.

Kishan, his driver and an official of his office were kidnapped on February 13 from Ukhrul district and their bodies found in neighbouring Senapati district on Feb 17.

The killing triggered large scale protests in the capital leading to curfew being clamped in the area since Thursday.

NSCN(IM) had earlier in a statement denied involvement in the kidnap and killings.

Curfew continues

Meanwhile, the indefinite curfew clamped here in the twin capital districts of Manipur since Thursday evening was still in force on Friday, official sources said.

The curfew was imposed at around 5 pm on Thursday evening in both Imphal East and Imphal West districts as several organisations planned large scale agitation in the wake of the killing of Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Th Kishan, his driver Aribam Rajen and an official of his office Y Token by suspected hill-based militants on February 17, sources said.

On Thursday evening three women were injured after police fired 30 teargas shells in Imphal West district when hundreds of women from Tera, Kwakeithel and other areas tried to converge at the official residence of Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh on the second day of the 48-hour Manipur bandh in protest against the killings.

Police and central security forces were deployed at various parts of the capital complex to strictly enforce the curfew and prevent any untoward incident, they said. (PTI)

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Christians say murder case shows continuing violence in Orissa

February 20, 2009 | BHUBANESWAR, India (UCAN) -- Church people in Orissa say the suspected murder of a Baptist lay leader shows that anti-Christian violence continues in the eastern Indian state. The body of Hrudyananda Nayak, 45, was found in the jungle near Rudangia, his village in Kandhamal district, officials of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar Catholic archdiocese confirmed on Feb. 20.

They suspect Nayak was killed two days earlier while he was returning to a government-managed relief camp after leaving his elder sister in their village. When he did not return, a search was conducted and the body was found in the jungle.

"The cause of murder is not yet known," said Bidhan Nayak, the victim's cousin. He said his cousin had received numerous threats since anti-Christian violence by Hindu radical groups began in the state in August 2008.

The violence that lasted seven weeks killed more than 60 people, mostly Christians, and destroyed thousands of homes displacing an estimated 50,000 people. Thousands of Christians are still staying in relief camps as they fear death if they return to their villages.

Hindu groups have accused Christians of the murder of a Hindu leader, an allegation Christians have denied.

Father Prasanna Singh, a parish priest in Kandhamal, said the latest murder tells the world that violence against Christians is continuing in the tribal-dominated district under Cuttack-Bhubaneswar archdiocese.

The murder, apparently committed during an afternoon, has shocked Christians in the state, Father Singh said.

Collector Kishan Kumar, the highest government official in the district, visited the site with top police officials. No one has been arrested so far, the Church people said.

"If the government cannot take stern steps to control this violence, (the Hindu radicals) will finish off all priests and Christian leaders" in the district, Father Singh said.

Rabindra Parichha, a social activist, said he suspects the Hindu radicals have decided to kill the district's Christian leaders. "They are working toward their target," he warned.

He said Nayak was the fourth Christian to get abducted and killed after the anti-Christian violence subsided by the end of October. "The state should take strong action against the culprits," Parichha said, adding that in some instances, bodies were not found and the police could only report these as missing persons.

Christian leaders also allege the state government tacitly supports the violence. The pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (Indian people's party) is a partner in the state's two-party coalition.

Nayak is survived by his wife Rina, 39, daughter Jesia and son Saibil.


Source: UCA NEWS

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