Nagaland: Over 1,000 stranded people brought back to state from Manipur

A total of 1,229 people from Nagaland, who were stranded in Manipur amidst the ongoing tense situation there, were brought to the state by Assam Rifles with the help of the Nagaland government, said a source.

They were evacuated under 'Operation Kohima Calling' in two phases.

''In the first phase, 676 people were brought back while in the second 553 were evacuated. The second batch of evacuees reached Kohima on May 10 while the first batch was brought back on May 7,'' it added.

The first phase of the operation was led by Brig Ved Beniwal, deputy inspector general of IGAR (North) while during the second phase, Colonel Umesh Sati, commandant, of 1 Assam Rifles, led the evacuation.

In the second phase of evacuation, 47 Konyak Naga girls were evacuated from Yoripok in the Thoubal district of Manipur. 

''The rescue team went to the interior areas of Thoubal district to evacuate these girls who were working on an hourly wage basis in a veneer factory,'' the source said.

Meanwhile, considering the plight of the returnees, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has decided to grant a token relief of Rs 5,000 per person/family. 

The state government is also taking all measures to ensure that all citizens of the state stranded in Manipur are able to safely return to their home state.

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