Imphal, July 29: In a series of operations conducted over the past 24 hours, security forces in Manipur have apprehended six militants linked to banned insurgent groups. A significant cache of weapons, ammunition, and explosives was seized during these operations. Additionally, a drug trafficker was also arrested.
According to a senior police officer, the arrests were made based on intelligence reports during a joint operation involving police and other security agencies across Imphal West, Imphal East, Tengnoupal, and Kakching districts.
The detained militants are associated with the banned groups, including the Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP), People’s Liberation Army (PLA), its political wing Revolutionary People’s Front (RPF), and the Socialist Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (SOREPA).
Police stated that these militants were involved in various criminal activities, including kidnapping and extorting ‘donations’—a term commonly used by insurgent groups for ransom.
In a separate anti-drug operation, Manipur police arrested a 33-year-old alleged drug trafficker named Letaminthang Haolai from the Tuibong area of Churachandpur district. Authorities seized 2.5 kilograms of brown sugar, valued at approximately 5 crore rupees in the international illegal market, along with a two-wheeler.
Churachandpur district borders Mizoram and has an open international border with Myanmar. Police suspect that the seized drugs were smuggled into the state via the Myanmar border.
According to police officials, security forces conducted extensive search operations in sensitive areas of Imphal East, Bishnupur, and other districts, recovering a large quantity of weapons, ammunition, and explosives.
The recovered arms included five self-loading rifles (SLRs), five different types of INSAS rifles, four AK-series rifles, six .303 rifles, ten single-barrel guns, four double-barrel guns, one homemade sniper rifle, three pistols, one homemade ‘pump’ gun, one 12-bore rifle, several improvised explosive devices (IEDs), a significant number of live cartridges, and some wireless communication sets.
Meanwhile, security teams comprising personnel from central and state agencies have intensified anti-insurgency operations across Manipur.
To flush out militants and maintain law and order, large-scale search operations and area domination exercises are being conducted in remote areas, mixed-population zones, and other sensitive locations. Under strict security measures, a total of 111 checkpoints and barriers have been established to monitor the movement of militants, anti-social elements, and suspicious vehicles in both valley and hill districts.
Security forces are also providing armed protection to vehicles transporting essential goods along the strategically important Imphal-Jiribam National Highway (NH-37) to ensure uninterrupted movement of supplies.
–
Leave a Comment