Widows used to extort money from officials, seven militants nabbed

Imphal, Nov 8 (UNI) Seven militants, including two women, were apprehended by Imphal East police commandos yesterday.

Imphal East Superintendent of Police Th Radheshyam told newspersons here today that the militants had been using widows to extort money from officials and various individuals.

The widows who had no source of livelihood were asked to serve demand letters and extort money, the SP said.

He said last evening police nabbed three Kuki Liberation Army KLA/KNO cadres namely Nohkhulun Haokip , Laishram Jiban and Sanasam Biramangol from J.N. Hospital Gate, Porompat , Imphal East. One 7.65 mm Italian pistol loaded with two live rounds and ten demand letters of KLA were recovered from the possession of Nohkhulun Haokip.

On verification, they disclosed that they were active members of KLA/KNO organization and were now involved in extortion of money under the command of one Haopu Kuki.

They admiited that they had extorted Rs 2 lakh from the Forest department, Rs. 20,000/ from Babina Clinic, Rs 50, 000 from Imphal Hospital, Rs 20,000/ from Dr. Ratan Singh of Sagolband Moirang Leirak.

Later, police arrested four People's United Liberation Front (PULF) cadres-- Md. Abdul Latip, Md. Aboy Khan, Leihao and Nongmaithem Shanti Devi .

Shanti Devi was working as the Assistant Project Officer of PULF (Umar Kaji), the SP said. They were nabbed from Khurai Lamlong , Imphal East and twenty demand letters of PULF were recovered from the possession of Latip .

The militants on being interrogated said they were active members of PULF organization and involved in extortion of money from general public, government officials and businessmen.

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