8 militants held, 43 weapons recovered in Manipur

Imphal, June 30 (IANS) In a series of joint operations in Manipur, the Army and other central and state security forces have arrested eight hardcore extremists of different outfits and recovered 43 different types of arms, a large cache of ammunition and other war-like stores from eight districts, officials said on Monday.

A Defence spokesman said that the intelligence-based, coordinated joint operations resulted in the arrest of eight militants from various hill and Valley-based militant outfits.

He said that the joint operations were conducted during the past few days in the six valley and hill districts of Jiribam, Bishnupur, Kakching, Tengnoupal, Imphal East and Imphal West.

The army during the operations used specialised resources like explosive detection dogs. Army and Assam Rifles formations under the Spear Corps launched the series of operations in coordination with Manipur Police, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).

The arms recovered in these joint operations include carbines, AK-47 series rifle, self-loading rifle (SLR), three303 rifle, single and double barrel guns, INSAS Rifle, Pompi (improvised mortar) and many pistols, Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), grenades, ammunition and war-like stores.

The apprehended militants and the recovered arms, ammunition, explosives and other items have been handed over to Manipur Police.

These coordinated efforts by security forces highlight their unwavering commitment to maintaining peace and security in Manipur, the spokesman said.

Meanwhile, an official said that the police have arrested five militants belonging to different banned outfits from Imphal West and Imphal East districts during the last 24 hours.

The arrested militants belonged to People's Liberation Army (PLA), Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) and People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK).

The arrested militants were involved in extortion from elected representatives such as panchayat pradhans and members, as well as from private and government schools in the districts.

A police officer said that the security forces accompanied by a bomb disposal team safely neutralised one 51 mm ILLG bomb which was found planted at Terakhongshangbi Maning Laithel under Moirang police station in Bishnupur District.

Splinters were seized from the site for further investigation. The security forces and bomb disposal team also safely neutralised an old unexploded bomb, suspected to be of WW-II vintage, after being informed of its presence by the local populace of Tengnoupal area under Tengnoupal district, which shares border with Myanmar.

--IANS

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