Imphal, Jun 25 (IANS): Security forces in Manipur's Imphal East district apprehended a dozen of militants of the Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) outfit on Saturday, but had to hand over all of them to local leaders after a mob, led by women, surrounded the forces and prevented them from going ahead, an official said.

According to a defence spokesman, after Saturday midnight the Army and the Assam Rifles, acting on specific intelligence inputs, launched an operation at Itham village in Imphal East district and the area was cordoned off before the actual search commenced to avoid inconvenience to the locals.

"The operation resulted in the apprehension of 12 KYKL cadres along with arms, ammunition and war-like stores. Self-styled Lt Col Moirangthem Tamba alias Uttam was also among the 12 militants. He was the mastermind of an ambush on the 6th battalion of the DOGRA in 2015," the spokesman said.

A mob of around 1500 people, led by women and local leaders, immediately surrounded the area and prevented the security forces from continuing the operation despite repeated appeals.

The spokesman said that keeping in view the sensitivity of use of kinetic force against large irate mob and envisaged casualties due to such action, the officer on ground made a considerate decision to hand over all 12 KYKL militants to local leaders.

The Army and the Assam Rifles troops lifted the cordon and left the area with the recovered weapons and ammunition.

Mature decision on part of operational commander displays humane face of the Indian Army, making all efforts to avoid any collateral damage and denies scope of escalating the situation, during the ongoing unrest in Manipur, the spokesman said.

The Indian Army appeals to the people of Manipur to assist the security forces in maintaining law and order to bring peace and stability, a defence statement said.