2 minors among four militants nabbed in Manipur

Imphal, Jul 7 (PTI) Four militants, including two minors, have been held in Manipur on charges of extortion and possession of illegal arms, police said on Tuesday. A cadre of the banned UNLF (P) was arrested from Wangkhei in Imphal East district, they said. The accused was identified as Moirangthem Naoba Meitei (32), they said, adding that a single-barrel gun and two mobile handsets were recovered from his possession. The UNLF (P) had signed a peace agreement with the Centre in 2023. However, its cadres have continued to be arrested in cases related to extortion and illegal arms trafficking. In a separate operation, a member of the proscribed NRFM was apprehended from Luwangsangbam in Imphal West district on Monday. "The arrestee was involved in a recent firing incident at a residential house in Pangei, Imphal East district, to intimidate the occupants and extort money," police said. In another operation, two juvenile cadres of the Kuki National Front (MC) were arrested from P Geljang in Churachandpur district, they said. Security forces recovered 77 live rounds of ammunition from their possession, they added. Meanwhile, during an area domination and foot patrol at Chiru village in the Kangchup police station area of Kangpokpi district, police recovered a suspected improvised explosive device (IED) and four locally made mortar shells. Police said investigations are underway in all the cases. PTI CORR SOM