2 militants arrested in Manipur

Imphal, Security forces have arrested two militants, belonging to a proscribed outfit, from two districts of Manipur for their alleged involvement in extortion activities, police said on Monday.

The two members of the banned Prepak were apprehended on Sunday from Imphal West and Imphal East districts, a police statement said.

A 45-year-old militant was arrested from the North AOC area in Imphal West, and the other, aged 46, was held from his residence at Ningomthong Kitna Panung in Imphal East. They were accused of being involved in extortion activities, it said.

One 9 mm pistol along with a magazine loaded with 12 rounds of bullets was recovered from one of the militants, the police said.

In a separate operation on Monday, a combined team of state police commandos and the 33 Assam Rifles seized a cache of arms during a search operation in the adjoining areas of Akham and Lamdeng villages under the Lamsang Police Station limits in Imphal West district, the police statement said.

The seized weapons include nine 9 mm pistols, one locally made gun, two single-barrel guns and a grenade, it said.

The Bishnupur district police, while conducting a routine check on Saturday, intercepted a car travelling from Terakhongshangbi Bazar to Kwakta, and searched the vehicle.

"The search of the vehicle led to the recovery of four packets of brown sugar weighing approximately 2.1 kg," the police said.

The value of the contraband was not immediately ascertained.

Security forces have been conducting search operations and area domination in the fringe and vulnerable localities across Manipur since ethnic violence broke out three years ago.

The ethnic conflict that erupted in May 2023 between the valley-based Meitei and the hill-based Kuki communities has claimed at least 306 lives, with 49 individuals remaining missing and thousands left homeless.

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