Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

Imphal, Aug 17: Security forces in Manipur have arrested six militants, including a woman, belonging to various banned outfits and apprehended six alleged drug peddlers, also including a woman, during separate joint operations across the state in the past 24 hours, officials said on Monday.

A senior police official said the six militants were arrested in Imphal East and Imphal West districts during coordinated operations involving the Manipur Police and Central forces, including the Assam Rifles.

The arrested militants are allegedly linked to banned outfits including the People's Defence Army, Manipur (PDA), People's Liberation Army (PLA) and its political wing, the Revolutionary People's Front (RPF), and the People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK).

According to the police, the accused were allegedly involved in various unlawful activities, including attacks on people, kidnapping, forcible collection of “subscriptions” and recruitment of youths into banned outfits.

Security personnel recovered arms and ammunition, incriminating documents, subscription receipts, cash, seals, letterheads belonging to the banned outfits and other materials from their possession.

In two separate operations in Tengnoupal district, which shares an unfenced border with Myanmar, and Jiribam district, bordering southern Assam, security forces also recovered a cache of arms and ammunition.

The seized weapons and ammunition included an AK-56 rifle, an INSAS Ex-Calibre rifle, two INSAS rifles, a magazine, three INSAS LMG magazines, four live rounds, three empty 9 mm pistol ammunition cases and five rounds of 5.56 mm INSAS ammunition.

Security forces also arrested six alleged drug peddlers, including a woman, in separate operations in Kangpokpi and Imphal East districts. Large quantities of heroin and opium, collectively valued at several crores of rupees, were recovered from their possession, officials said.

Meanwhile, the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Manipur Police have continued extensive counter-insurgency operations across the state, including search operations and area-domination exercises in fringe, mixed-population and other vulnerable areas.

As part of intensified security measures, 111 nakas and checkpoints have been established across valley and hill districts to monitor the movement of militants, anti-social elements and suspicious vehicles.

Security forces are also providing armed escorts to trucks and other vehicles carrying essential commodities along the strategically important Imphal-Jiribam National Highway (NH-37).

Strict security arrangements and convoy protection remain in place along vulnerable stretches of the highway to ensure the safe and uninterrupted movement of passenger and goods vehicles, officials said.