Arrests Across Five Districts
Security forces in Manipur have arrested eight militants, including a declared absconder, during separate joint operations conducted across five districts over the past 24 hours, officials said on Sunday. The arrests took place in Thoubal, Kakching, Tengnoupal, Imphal East, and Imphal West districts, according to a police spokesman, and involved coordinated operations by the Manipur Police, Assam Rifles, and other central forces.
The detained individuals belong to several banned outfits: the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and its political wing, the Revolutionary People's Front (RPF), the People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK), the Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL), and the Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP). They were reportedly involved in crimes including attacks on people, kidnapping, forcible collection of "subscriptions," and recruitment of youths into the banned outfits.
Key Arrest: NIA Absconder
Among those arrested was Thiyam Boycha Singh alias Balin, a 28-year-old self-styled Captain of the PLA. He was taken into custody from Ushoipokpi in Thoubal district on Saturday night. According to a defense spokesman, the arrest was the result of a successful joint operation launched following precise intelligence generated by the Assam Rifles, which established the militant's presence in the Bishnupur district. Security forces initiated a targeted search operation on Saturday evening and intercepted Singh along the way.
Singh carried a bounty of Rs 4 lakh and was wanted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). According to the police spokesman, Singh was part of the team that ambushed Assam Rifles personnel and six others at Behiang in Churachandpur district on November 13, 2021. He is the third accused in the case investigated by the NIA and is a declared absconder. The ambush resulted in the killing of Colonel Viplav Tripathi, then Commanding Officer of the Khuga Battalion of the Assam Rifles, his wife Anuja (36), and son Abir (5), along with four personnel of the paramilitary force.
Col. Tripathi was an alumnus of the 102 National Defence Academy (NDA) course and was commissioned into the 2 Kumaon Regiment in May 2002, according to one report.
Recovery of Arms and Documents
During questioning, Singh revealed involvement in PLA activities, including training and a prolonged stay at a camp in Myanmar, plus procurement and transfer of war-like stores and linkages with other militant groups. The arrested was handed over to Manipur Police at Lilong Police Station in Thoubal district for further legal proceedings.
Separately, security forces recovered arms and ammunition, several incriminating documents, subscription receipts, cash, and letterheads of the banned outfits from the possession of the arrested militants, according to the police spokesman. The second identified among those arrested was Chongtham Lukhoi alias Rakesh, 45, self-styled Captain of the KYKL.
Continued Counter-Insurgency Measures
Meanwhile, security forces comprising Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Manipur Police have continued extensive counter-insurgency operations, including search operations. A total of 111 nakas and checkpoints have been set up across valley and hill districts to monitor the movement of militants, anti-social elements, and suspicious vehicles. Armed escorts have been provided on the Imphal-Jiribam NH-37 stretch.
The joint operation underscores the seamless coordination between the Assam Rifles and Manipur Police in maintaining peace and regional security, according to an official statement.