Imphal, November 27 2010: Five officials of the PHED were kidnapped by armed cadres of the Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) from Senapati's Mayangkhang village along the NH-39 Saturday in the series of kidnapping of government officers and individuals in Manipur.

The five officials including two AEs and a section officers (SO) were abducted by armed cadres of the group along with the vehicle they were travelling this morning around 9 am while heading for Tadubi on NH-39 .

They were traveling with security escort.

The KCP (MC) confirming their involvement in the abduction said that the officials came in five vehicles along with security force.

However, they did not resort to arms against the security personnel while hijacking the vehicles with the five officials.

The officials of the state Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) were moving to Tadubi as an advance team ahead of a ministerial team touring to Tadubi village.

PHED minister, TN Haokip and Tribal Development minister, DD Thaisii visited the village in connection with the inauguration function of a water reservoir constructed by the PHED.

The offcials were reportedly taken away at gun point around 9 am before reaching the village from Mayangkhang under Kangpokpi police station ahead of the arrival of the ministers' team, official reports said.

The vehicle a Bolero (MN01W-7847) which carried the officials was later recovered from Dailli village, one km away from Mayangkhang.

Kangpokpi police station recovered the vehicle, the left rear tyre of which was found deflated.

The kidnapped officers were identified as H Ganeshwor (Asst Engineer) of Pishumthong, K Rameshwor (Asst Engineer) of Kairang, Nsomi (Surveyor of Work) of Yaiskul, K Manigopal (S.O) of Uripok and A Ibomcha (Driver) of Samurou.

Police have confirmed the names of the officials.

KCP (MC) has claimed that the five officials were in their custody and warned that if the higher authority of the department (PHED) did not come forward for negotiation they will be punished after a 'fair trial' .

Information and publicity secretary Paikhomba through an e-mail statement to local media charged the higher officials of the PHED including the officials in their custody to be involved in corruption.

But they did not elaborately the charges leveled against the officials.

The statement further warned NGOs, employees of PHED and local clubs and women bodies not to carry out any kind of protest to press them release of the officers.

On the other hand, normal official work in the state electricity department was paralyzed Saturday as employee ceased work for the day to stage a sit-in protest against militants attacking the house of one of its engineer in Ukhrul district.

On the evening of November 25 last, suspected activists of the Volunteers of Innocent People Naga (VIPN) exploded a bomb at the residence of Executive Engineer Pamching Lunglen at Hamreikhong, Ukhrul.

Another sit-in protest was also staged at the state fisheries office at Lamphel demanding non-conditional release of the section officer (SO) of the department kidnapped by suspected activists of a group of KCP Friday.

SO, Veda Prakash was kidnapped by two armed youths who called out him from his office on the pretext of having a talk on certain matter around 11.20 am yesterday.

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