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The buses were escorted by Assam Rifles jawans, two platoons of the Nagaland Armed Police, and personnel of the Indian Reserve Battalion. (photo: private order)
Officials said 676 people were turned back by the Nagaland government and transported in 13 Nagaland state transport buses and four police buses.
Officials said the Nagaland government has repatriated 676 people from violence-hit Manipur on Sunday.
They were brought back in 13 Nagaland State Transport buses, and four police buses as part of ‘Operation Kohima Calling’.
The buses were escorted by Assam Rifles jawans, two platoons of the Nagaland Armed Police, and personnel of the Reserve India Battalion. Brigadier General Fed Beniwall, Police Sub-Officer (Northern) Chita Lohi and Division Sub-Officer (Civilian) Wikko Zemi supervised the rescue.
Among those rescued were people who went to Manipur with their families in search of work, 162 students and doctors from the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Imphal, 40 students from the Central Agricultural University, seven students from the College of Food Technology, and 19 students from He said. The University of Manipur and five officials from the National Sports Academy.
They started at 5.30 in the morning from Manipur and reached the first Assam Rifles camp in Kohima around 2 in the afternoon, and were later sent home to different areas.
We were under a lot of stress after the violence broke out on May 3rd. Internet services stopped. We didn’t know who to contact to get home. “It is a huge sigh of relief that we are back,” said Dr. Vephizo Keyho, a senior resident at RIMS Imphal.
He said that the situation is very bad, but it has been brought under control to some extent after the intervention of the central forces.
“As parents, we were very concerned about the safety of our children and other people who were stranded there,” said doctor Keduozatuo Punyu, father of one of the RIMS students.
State Disaster Management Authority Adviser Neosethu Neoth said the initiative was not taken because the people of Nagaland faced any physical threat in Manipur but because many of them wanted to go home immediately.
He said the operation would continue to bring back those stranded in the interior, especially the plywood workers.
Deputy Chief Minister Yanthongo Patton commended the Assam Rifles and State Police for the success of the rescue mission.
He said that 676 people have been rescued so far, and efforts are underway to bring back another 600 people from various parts of Manipur.
On behalf of the state government, Patton, who holds the home portfolio, apologized for the delay in the rescue.
Director General of Police (DGP) Robin Sharma said the delay occurred because the priority was more on people’s safety.
He said efforts were also being made to get them back on planes, but Imphal Airport was too busy and things weren’t working out.
Sharma urged the repatriated people not to share the violent incidents that occurred in Manipur with the people of Nagaland to prevent the spread of hatred.
The public organization Angami honored the members of the rescue team to bring people back safely.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is republished from a syndicated news agency feed.)
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