Daijiworld Media Network - Imphal
Imphal, May 6: In an intensified security crackdown across Manipur, security forces arrested 12 militants, including a female cadre, and seized a significant cache of weapons and tactical gear over the past 24 hours, officials confirmed on Tuesday.
According to the police, the detained individuals include 11 operatives from the Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) and one member of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). The arrests were made during coordinated raids across four districts — eight from Imphal East, one from Imphal West, two from Thoubal, and one from Kakching.
Among the items recovered were a variety of high-powered firearms — including AK-series, A1, M4, self-loading and .303 rifles — as well as pistols, camouflage uniforms, mobile phones, electronic equipment, and incriminating documents. Authorities say these militants were involved in a range of unlawful activities, including extortion from government employees, contractors, and civilians, kidnapping, and intimidation.
Security operations involving both state and central forces have become a near-daily occurrence, as authorities continue to pursue militant groups destabilizing the region.
In a parallel effort to curb criminal activity, police recovered six stolen vehicles in the last 24 hours as part of an ongoing statewide crackdown targeting vehicle thefts. Thefts of cars and two-wheelers have spiked amid ongoing ethnic unrest in the state. Since April 16, authorities have recovered 151 stolen cars and 30 two-wheelers under this special recovery initiative.
Meanwhile, joint security teams have ramped up area domination and search operations across vulnerable hill and valley regions to maintain law and order. Given the strategic importance of National Highways 37 (Imphal-Jiribam) and 2 (Imphal-Dimapur), which serve as critical supply routes for essentials, troops are providing armed escorts to civilian convoys to ensure safe passage and prevent ambushes.
The intensified operations signal a continued effort by the state to reestablish stability amid ongoing tensions and to cut off militant networks from their operational and financial lifelines.