Manipur: Three top cadres of militant outfit held with arms

Imphal (The Uttam Hindu): Three top cadres of the banned militant outfit People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (Prepak-Pro) were arrested by the security forces in Manipur's Thoubal district, officials said on Thursday. A police official said that the arrested militants have been involved in extortion of money from the people and traders and illegal possession of arms. The official said that a combined team of Manipur police Commando and a column of Assam Rifles led by senior officials acting on a tip-off rushed to Thoubal Athokpam and arrested three active cadres of the unlawful organisation on Wednesday night.

They have been identified as Nambram Indrajit Singh (22), Rajkumar Mohen Sana (21) and Warepam Albert Meitei (21). Some sophisticated arms and ammunition, three mobile phones and one motorcycle were recovered from their possession, the police official said. During interrogation, the apprehended militants confessed that they were involved in extortion from schools, colleges and government offices, traders of Thoubal district under the instruction of their leader Sinthoiba, the official said. The arrested militants along with seized arms and ammunition were handed over to the Thoubal Police Station for taking further necessary legal action against the ultras.

Combined security forces of the Army, Assam Rifles and other central forces during separate operations recovered 10 sophisticated firearms and a cache of ammunition in the Churachandpur and Chandel districts. Meanwhile, at least 2,000 personnel of the Army and Assam Rifles continued their hectic search operation to locate the 56-year-old Meitei man Laishram Kamalbabu Singh, who has been missing since November 25. The Army as part of their search operation deployed tracker dogs, drones and other devices. Joint Action Committee (JAC) and the Meira Paibis (women vigilantes in Manipur) have sought the intervention of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to rescue Kamalbabu Singh. The Meira Paibis and the JAC continued their agitations separately in protest against the abduction of Kamalbabu Singh. Singh, a resident of Gossaipur under Cachar district in southern Assam, who was staying at Loitang Khunou village in Imphal West district, left his residence on November 25 for the Leimakhong military station, where he was working as a supervisor for a contractor working with the Military Engineering Services (MES), but went missing. Various Meitei community organisations alleged that Singh was kidnapped by Kuki militants.