3 militants, including 2 women, arrested in Manipur; 10kg IED defused

IMPHAL: Three militants, including two women linked to different banned organisations, were arrested in separate operations across two districts of Manipur, police said on Sunday. According to a police statement, the arrests were carried out on Saturday in Tengnoupal and Imphal East districts. Security forces apprehended two women cadres of the banned People’s Liberation Army (PLA) from the vicinity of Sunrise Ground in Tengnoupal district. The two were identified as Akoijam Sakhenbi (23) and Chongtham Hembaby (17). In a separate operation, a militant associated with the banned PREPAK (PRO) outfit was arrested from Napetpalli in Imphal East district.

He has been identified as Ingudam Ingocha Singh (50). Police said a .32 pistol loaded with five cartridges was recovered from his possession. In another development, security forces recovered a 10 kg improvised explosive device (IED) near Sijang Kuki village in Churachandpur district on Friday. The explosive was later defused safely by a bomb disposal team, the statement added.