Manipur chief minister Y Khemchand Singh on Saturday said the case relating to the abduction of six Naga villagers by armed militants would be handed over to the NIA.
The announcement came during a meeting between a six-member delegation of the United Naga Council (UNC) and the chief minister, according to an official statement.
The UNC delegation was led by its president, NG Lorho, while the government side included deputy chief minister Losii Dikho, home minister Govindas Konthoujam and several Naga MLAs.
During the meeting, the UNC urged the government to intensify efforts to trace the six villagers abducted from Konsakhul in Kangpokpi district.
"The Chief Minister informed the UNC delegation that the case of the six abducted Nagas would be handed over to the NIA," the statement said.
The killing of three church leaders in Kangpokpi district on May 13 had already been transferred to the central agency for investigation, it added.
Singh said search and rescue operations had been underway since May 14 to trace the missing villagers.
According to an official, sniffer dogs have also been deployed for the operation.
He appealed to the UNC to help secure the release of 14 Kuki civilians who, according to the government, have also remained in captivity since the violence erupted.
The chief minister further appealed to Kuki organisations and communities to cooperate in tracing the six missing Naga villagers.
He urged all communities in the state to support the government's efforts to restore peace and normalcy.
Several people were allegedly abducted and held hostage by armed groups in Kangpokpi and Senapati districts on May 13, hours after three church leaders were killed in an ambush.
Of them, 31 people -- 14 Nagas, 16 Kukis and one Meitei -- have been released, according to the police.
Kuki Inpi Manipur, the apex body of the Kuki tribes in the state, claimed that 14 members of the community continued to be held hostage by Naga groups.
A few days ago, the police had arrested six militants from different parts of Manipur.
According to officials, three cadres of the People’s Liberation Army were detained on May 18, Monday from Moreh in Tengnoupal district, a border town, while a member of the UNLF (Koireng) faction from Yairipok Bazar in Thoubal district was arrested a day before.
In a separate operation, two members of the Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) were apprehended from the Lamphel police station area in Imphal West district, officials added.
