Manipur security forces arrest seven militants, two drug peddlers

Security forces arrested seven militants, including a woman cadre, in separate operations across four Manipur districts, officials said. They also recovered arms and ammunition from Bishnupur and arrested two alleged drug peddlers, seizing around 53 grams of heroin

Imphal: Security forces in Manipur, in separate joint operations conducted across different districts, have arrested seven militants, including a woman cadre, belonging to various banned outfits during the past 24 hours, officials said here on Sunday.

In another joint operation, security forces also recovered a cache of arms and ammunition and arrested two drug peddlers, seizing narcotic substances from their possession in Manipur’s Bishnupur district.

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A police official said that the seven militants were apprehended in Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal and Kakching districts during coordinated operations conducted by the Manipur Police, Assam Rifles and other Central security forces.

The arrested militants belong to the banned Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP), United National Liberation Front (UNLF), People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and its political wing, the Revolutionary People’s Front (RPF), and Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL).

The official said the arrested militants were reportedly involved in numerous crimes and illegal activities, including attacks on people, kidnapping, forcible collection of “subscriptions” and recruitment of youths into the banned outfits.

Of the seven militants, a combined team of security forces, including the Manipur Police, arrested an active woman cadre of the KCP (People’s War Group) from Thoubal district. She was identified as Laishram Abem Devi (37).

A combined team of the police and other security forces also recovered a substantial cache of arms and ammunition from Bishnupur district. The recovered arms and ammunition included one 9 mm pistol with a magazine, one .32 pistol with a magazine, one country-made AK rifle with a magazine, one country-made MP-9 with a magazine, one country-made SBBL gun, one country-made .22 rifle with a magazine, two 36-hand grenades, two improvised explosive devices (IEDs), a large quantity of ammunition of various calibres and other accessories.

Meanwhile, the Manipur Police, during a routine frisking and checking duty in the Sericulture Training Centre area, arrested two drug peddlers and seized five soap cases containing heroin weighing around 53 grams from their possession.

The arrested drug peddlers were identified as Amir Khan (34) and Md. Bungo (33). A two-wheeler used by the accused was also seized, the official said.

Meanwhile, security forces comprising the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and the Manipur Police have continued extensive counter-insurgency operations, including search operations and area-domination exercises, in fringe, mixed-population and other vulnerable areas across the state.

As part of the intensified security measures, 111 nakas and checkpoints have been set up across the valley and hill districts to monitor the movement of militants, anti-social elements and suspicious vehicles.

The security forces have also been providing armed escorts to trucks and other vehicles carrying essential commodities along the strategically important Imphal-Jiribam National Highway (NH-37).

Strict security arrangements and convoy protection continue to remain in place along vulnerable stretches of the highway to ensure the safe and uninterrupted movement of passenger and goods vehicles, the officials said.