The group, while touring the troubled NC Hills district, found Pauheiyile Pame and picked her up. Led by Janardan Deva Goswami, satradhikar of Uttar Kamalabari Satra of Majuli river island, they are the followers of Vaishnavite saint Srimanta Sankardeva.
Pauheiyile Pame was alone. The attackers had shot dead her parents, Namshimbuing Pame and Taheuyile of Michidui village. Twelve other persons of the same village were also killed on the same day. Eight of them were children.
"We have kept her in the custody of one of her relatives who is breast-feeding her. We will adopt her and take care of her," said Uttar Kamalabari Satra satradhikar. The district has been in the grip of violence since February and 49 people belonging to the Zeme Naga and Dimasa communities have been killed by Naga and Dimasa militants.
The Vaishnavite preachers visited the district on June 18 and 19. "We went to the remote Michidui village where militants had killed 14 people two days before and burnt down 40 houses," the satradhikar said.
"There is no fight between the two tribes. There is a third force behind these attacks. We have appealed to both the tribes to stand up against such forces. We hope to create an atmosphere of harmony and unity between the two," he added.
He said visits to several relief camps showed that thousands of tribals and children are being treated like animals. "The food supply is limited in comparison to the need. Medical facility is non-existent. Women and children are not safe there at all," he said.