Manipur Militant arrested; Arms and ammunition seized

A militant belonging to the banned outfit Kangleipak Communist Party (PWG) was arrested in Imphal West district of Manipur, a police statement said on Sunday.

A large cache of arms and ammunition were also seized in separate search operations in Imphal East and Kakching districts.

The arrest and arms seizures were made on Saturday, it said.

A total of 19 ‘demand letters’, used for extortion, were seized from the possession of the militant, identified as Yanglem Sadananda Singh (26), the statement said.

Also, in a search operation in Mayophung-Sanasabi Hill in Imphal East district, a .303 bipod mounted rifle, seven .303 cartridges, two heavy-calibre mortars, 20 heavy-calibre mortar shells, two IEDs, four radio sets with charger, a pistol with three cartridges, 12 grenades and a bulletproof jacket were seized, it said.

In another search operation in the foothills of Chingkhei Ching Phaknung village in Imphal East district, an INSAS light machine gun with magazine, an INSAS rifle with magazine, two self-loading rifles with magazines, a sniper rifle, a .32 pistol with magazine, six 5.56mm INSAS cartridges, twenty-one 5.56mm empty cases and four 9mm empty cases were seized.

In the third search operation in Nongmaikhong Makha Leikai hill range in Kakching district, an SMG carbine with two magazines, an AK-47 rifle, two single-barrel guns, one modified 9mm pistol with two magazines, three IEDs (weighing about 2 kg), eight wire detonators, and 10 PEK explosive packets each weighing 125 gm were seized.