Daijiworld Media Network - Imphal
Imphal, Aug 4: In a series of coordinated counter-insurgency operations, joint security forces comprising the Army, Assam Rifles, Manipur Police, and other paramilitary units have arrested 25 active insurgents and seized a massive stockpile of arms, ammunition, and explosives from multiple districts across Manipur.
Defence spokesperson Lt Col Amit Shukla confirmed on Monday that 15 militants were apprehended in recent days during operations carried out in Churachandpur, Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur, and Thoubal. The arrested individuals are said to be hardcore operatives affiliated with four proscribed outfits — the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL), Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP), and the People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK).
The operations led to the recovery of 69 weapons, including looted service rifles and locally fabricated arms, as well as 16 improvised explosive devices (IEDs), grenades, radio equipment, and assorted war-like materials. Many of the recovered explosives were potent enough to cause mass casualties, officials said.
Lt Col Shukla stated that these raids are part of an intensified security drive aimed at curbing the resurgence of insurgent networks in the violence-hit state. “These coordinated actions highlight the security forces’ unwavering commitment to restoring normalcy and ensuring long-term peace in the region,” he said.
In a parallel effort, Manipur Police confirmed that 10 more militants were arrested over the last 24 hours in Imphal West, Imphal East, and Bishnupur districts. The detainees, linked to factions of KCP and PREPAK, were reportedly involved in a range of criminal activities, including kidnappings, targeted shootings, extortion, and issuing monetary demands to educational institutions in the Imphal valley.
During these arrests, police also recovered pistols, ammunition, mobile phones, and several incriminating documents.
Security forces have ramped up surveillance and field operations following recent escalations in militant threats and extortion-related incidents across Manipur. Authorities say more such