Imphal, Sep 26 (IANS): The security forces on Saturday arrested four militants of a Kuki outfit and a top NSCN-IM cadre in Manipur and recovered arms and ammunition from their possession, officials said.

Police sources said that four hardcore militants of Kuki National Front (Mangkholam Kipgen faction) outfit have been arrested from the jungles near Gopibung village under Kangpokpi district.

The joint operation of Assam Rifles troopers and police personnel led to the recovery of two 9 mm pistols along with one magazine each and some live ammunition from the possession of the ultras.

In another operation, the Assam Rifles jawans apprehended a top cadre of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) on National Highway-2 at Maram in Manipur's Senapati district bordering Nagaland.

A defence spokesman said that during interrogation, the NSCN (IM) militant revealed that he was working for the outfit since 2002 and he along with another cadre was involved in extortion and tax collection activities for the last two months.

The associate of the arrested NSCN (IM) rebel fled with the collected money on seeing the security forces.