Manipur: 6 cadres of banned outfit arrested; two for extortion in Imphal East

Six cadres of a banned outfit were arrested from Manipur's Imphal West district, and two members of a group were apprehended for allegedly being involved in extortion in Imphal East, police said on Saturday.

Six members of the proscribed Kangleipak Communist Party (Ibungo Ngangom) were apprehended from Koutruk Makha Leikai Church in Imphal West on Friday, a senior officer said.

The police also arrested two members of G5 Organisation from Achanbigei Maning Leikai in Imphal East district for allegedly being involved in extortion from sand-laden trucks in Sekmai, Irilbung, Koirengei and Patsoi areas.

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They were also allegedly involved in incidents of snatching keys from truck drivers in Sekmai area.

They have been identified as Ningthoujam Yamba Singh (43) and Usham Netaji Singh (35), the officer added.

The Manipur Police also said at least two firearms and ammunition were handed over to the administrations in Kakching and Kangpokpi districts.

The development comes after Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla appealed to the people to surrender illegal arms and ammunition.

Security forces also recovered at least 12 firearms from Kakching Wairi area and handed them over to the Kakching Police Station, another officer said.

During an operation in Maojang village under the Moreh Police Station limits in Tengnoupal district, Security forces recovered two improvised explosive devices weighing 22 kg with detonators, one 7-kg IED, one bomb of 6 kg with detonators and one bomb of 4 kg.

"The IEDs, suspected to be unstable, had to be destroyed at the spot by a bomb disposal team," police said, adding that an FIR has been registered in this connection.

The Manipur Police along with central forces have been conducting search operations after ethnic violence broke out in the state in May 2023.

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More than 250 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and adjoining hills-based Kuki-Zo groups since May two years ago.