Imphal, Jan. 18: The National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) today came in for praise from a banned militant group of Manipur for capturing the person suspected to have masterminded the abduction and murder of minister Francis Ngajokpa?s daughter Lungnila Elizabeth.
The United National Liberation Front (UNLF), which recently handed over one of the suspects in the case to representatives of women?s groups, said the NSCN (I-M) deserved plaudits for doing what Manipur police could not.
The NSCN (I-M) announced last week that the alleged mastermind, James Kuki alias Letsei Haokip, was in its custody and would be punished in accordance with its laws if found guilty.
The Naga group said James was captured at Burma Camp in Dimapur, which is the commercial hub of Nagaland.
The UNLF was the first to name James as the prime accused in the case. He fled Imphal?s Langol housing complex along with his wife Athonliu after the UNLF made the statement. Elizabeth, 8, was kidnapped on November 4 from Imphal?s Little Flower School. Her body was found eight days later.
The UNLF assistant publicity secretary said James? capture by the NSCN (I-M) was the biggest breakthrough in the case, which the police have failed to crack so far.
The Kuki Students? Organisation, however, claims James has been framed to tarnish the image of the Kuki community. ?We have a strong feeling that the image of the Kuki community has been politically and wilfully maligned since the day Elizabeth was kidnapped, and the campaign is being spearheaded by none other than the chief minister of Manipur, Okram Ibobi Singh,? the organisation said in a statement on Friday.
The UNLF did not comment on the outburst, but said it was certain seven more persons were involved in the abduction and murder of Elizabeth. The militant group asked the absconding suspects to surrender to it on or before January 27 if they wanted to escape harsh punishment. ?If the accused persons voluntarily surrender before the deadline, they could escape harsher punishment for their crime,? it said. The UNLF asked the parents of the accused to hand them over to its members.
The NSCN (I-M) has refused to hand over James to Manipur, prompting the Ibobi Singh government to seek help from NGOs to make the outfit change its mind. Manipur police have arrested only one suspect, Thokchom Nando of Thoubal.