A bomb went off at the Sangai festival in Imphal, Manipur, on Wednesday morning, just days before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to the troubled state. One person was reportedly killed in the blast. Dr Singh is scheduled to visit the state, which just lifted a 100-day blockade, on December 3.
Security forces in Manipur have arrested 10 militants belonging to various banned outfits.
Manipur police have arrested 16 members of various banned outfits in the last 48 hours, including seven militants of the Kangleipak Communist Party (People's War Group) who were apprehended during a midnight operation in Thoubal district. The arrests come amidst ongoing security operations in the state following ethnic violence that erupted in May 2023.
Security forces in Manipur have launched a major crackdown on the banned People's Liberation Army (PLA) following an ambush on an Assam Rifles convoy. Fifteen cadres have been arrested, including suspects directly involved in the attack. Investigations are underway to determine if the PLA has political patronage and if weapons looted during ethnic clashes are being used against security forces.
Four militants belonging to different proscribed outfits in Imphal Valley were arrested in separate operations by police. Among those arrested were Thokchom Ongbi Anita Devi, a PLA member, Moirangtham Ricky Singh of UNLF-K, Laishram Bishorjit Meitei of PREPAK, and Yumnam Premjit Meitei associated with Kangleipak Communist Party (Apunba).
One person was killed and another injured in heavy firing between two groups at Narainsena in Bishnupur district on Tuesday morning, police said.
After targeting employees in the sectors of insurance, banking and hospitality, militants in Manipur have now targeted mobile operators in the state to continue their activities of extortion and abduction.The militants had earlier burned down mobile towers after employees of telecom companies refused to fulfill their demands. In February, militants of the Kangleipak Communist Party (Nongdrenkhomba faction) outfit burnt down a mobile tower and gunned down a security personnel.
The Joint Secretary (North East), Ministry of Home Affairs, Shambhu Singh is scheduled to visit Manipur for two days to "read the mind and start the initial process of peace talks" with the recently released Kangleipak Communist Party (MC) underground outfit's self-styled military secretary Lanheiba Meitei.
A laptop, seven mobile phones, pen drives, internet broadband connection and documents, threat e-mails and extortion letters related to KCP (MC) have been recovered. The accused was brought to Delhi and is in police custody till May 13.
With the security forces intensifying anti-insurgency operations in Manipur in the wake of Tuesday evening's blast that killed 17 persons in Imphal, eight militants were shot dead in different parts of the state on Thursday.
A group of heavily armed militants shot dead the leader of a Manipuri women's group on Sunday night, in front other members of her family, at her residence in Nongren Mayai Leikai in Imphal East district.KCP-MC has claimed responsibility for the dastardly act, saying the senior leader of 'Meira Paibis' (woman activists) had not heeded their warnings, against keeping in touch with security forces, which are operating against rebel groups in the state.
Students of the Ananda Singh Higher Secondary School in Imphal have nabbed a militant who was trying to extort money from their principal.
The government on Monday banned nine Meitei extremist groups and their associate organisations, which mostly operate in Manipur, for their anti-national activities, and launching fatal attacks on security forces.
The newly-formed common forum of Northeast insurgent groups based in Myanmar has posed a renewed threat to security and peace in the troubled region.
They had earlier been arrested by the Manipur police in September last year when they were allegedly extorting money by wearing police uniforms and carrying sophisticated weapons, the officials said.
Curfew was imposed in the entire Imphal valley on Thursday following violent protests for the release of five men, including a trained cadre of a banned terror outfit, who were arrested earlier this week on the charges of extortion.
The case pertains to the organisation of Elgar Parishad in Pune on December 31, 2017 which promoted enmity between various caste groups and led to violence, resulting in the loss of life and property and statewide agitation in Maharashtra, an NIA spokesperson said.
The MoU was signed on Monday between representatives of the state government and leaders of the Kangleipak communist Party-Nongdreinkhomba, Kuki National Liberation Front and Kuki Revolutionary Party.
In the wake of arrest of five persons for extortion in Manipur including a suspected member of a banned terror group, the Manipur police has again warned of stern action against all those who were misusing the uniform for their ulterior motives.
Markets, banks, business establishments and educational institutions were closed and transport services were suspended.
The security agencies have been warning that militants belonging to United National Liberation Front, People's Liberation Army and other banned groups had become part of the mobs and carrying out sneak attacks on security forces as well as giving directions to the agitators.
Two insurgents were killed during the June 4 ambush on armymen in Chandel district of Manipur and they belonged to National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang and Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup, the state assembly was informed on Monday.
Two bombs went of in Imphal on Sunday ahead of the Republic Day celebrations.
Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang has claimed responsibility for the attack.
The army recovered the second body of an insurgent, who was injured in an ambush on an army convoy in Chandel district of Manipur on June 4, from a village close to Myanmar border.
Although India has sought inputs from the Myanmar army since most of those involved in Thursday's ambush would have sneaked across into Myanmar, the fresh operations would smoke out insurgents based in hideouts on the Indian side along the border.
The operation in Nagaland and Manipur was carried out after the army received "credible and specific" intelligence.
Ahead of Sushma Swaraj's visit, Myanmarese soldiers take over Indian territory.
Manipur needs an integrated politico, military, socio-economic approach, says Sanjeev Nayyar.
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