Security forces in Manipur have apprehended five hardcore militants from various insurgent groups and confiscated multiple mortars and two Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) along the India-Myanmar border within the last 24 hours. The explosives were discovered in the Yangoubung area under the Moreh police station’s jurisdiction in Tengnoupal district and were subsequently disposed of by a bomb disposal squad. Manipur, sharing a 398-km unfenced border with Myanmar, is a significant route for drug and arms smuggling into India.
The arrested militants, affiliated with the People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK), Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL), and the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), were captured in Imphal East, Imphal West, and Kakching districts. These individuals were allegedly engaged in criminal activities such as extorting money through coercive means from various sectors of society, including traders, contractors, and government employees.
Furthermore, a combined team of security forces and the Forest Department eradicated about 70 acres of illicit poppy cultivation in the Sihai hill range under the Ukhrul police station in Ukhrul district. This operation thwarted an attempt to produce opium valued at several crores of rupees, with the destruction of four huts found at the cultivation sites. Ongoing counter-insurgency measures, encompassing search operations and area control initiatives, persist in Manipur’s fringe, mixed-populated, and vulnerable regions.
To prevent insurgent activities, 114 checkpoints and nakas have been established throughout Manipur, spanning both valley and hill districts. Security personnel are also safeguarding vehicle movements, particularly escorting trucks transporting essential goods along the Imphal-Jiribam National Highway (NH-37). Stringent security protocols and convoy protection are enforced in critical zones to ensure the secure transit of vehicles. The Manipur Police have advised the public to verify the authenticity of any audio or video content before sharing it on social media, cautioning against the dissemination of fake materials.
