Militant groups in Manipur kidnapping kids

Imphal, Jul 25: Security has been tightened throughout Manipur and high alert issued in all parts of the state even as the abductions of children by militant organisations continued unabated.

Manipur Director General of Police (DGP) Y Joykumar said here on Friday, July 25, that action had been taken up to prevent kidnapping of children by militants and recruit them forcibly in their outfits.The DGP said all police checkpoints were alerted to frisk all vehicles. Police was also instructed to ensure that all minors were escorted by their relatives.

Police was also raiding several areas where the kidnapped children were suspected to be lodged.

All police personnel were asked to keep surveillance on the bailed out cadres and suspected overground elements and also keep close liaison with the school authorities and tuition centres.

Six cases of abductions have been registered in Imphal West so far, two in Imphal East and five in Thoubal district.

Though about 30 children were suspected to be missing, many of the cases were not officially reported to the police, the DGP said.

So far six people involved in the kidnapping cases had been arrested.

In Thoubal, Bishenpur, Imphal East and Imphal West districts, mobile task forces had been deployed to monitor the schools.

The teams were also directed to pick up any strangers or vehicles found loitering near the school premises without a valid reason.

Meanwhile, despite the claim made by the militants that the children had come and joined the outfits on their own, police investigation and inquiry revealed that the children had been forcibly taken away and made to join the outfit, the DGP said.

Sit-in protests were held in various parts of the state by students in front of their schools to protest the abductions.

A woman allegedly involved in the kidnapping of children was nabbed by local people at Thoubal district yesterday, police said.

UNI