3 militants arrested in Manipur, RDX seized

, Oct 21: Three militants have been arrested in separate counter-insurgency operations by police commandos and paramilitary forces in

and explosives, including 250 gm RDX, seized from them, police said today. Commandos, attached to Imphal West district police, launched a manhunt at Tera Sapam Leirak area in the periphery of Imphal town following reports of movement of some suspected ultras in the district yesterday.

During the search operations, an alleged militant identified as Lairenjam Sanjit, 38, was arrested along with 250 gm of RDX, soldering paste, electric soldering rod, one multimetre and 2 ft wire, they said. Sanjit was allegedly trying to assemble an improvised explosive device (IED), they said.

In another operation, Assam Rifles personnel of 16th battalion searched Maokot hill area in Ukhrul district bordering Myanmar yesterday and arrested an alleged militant of Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP), identified as Paothang Khongsai. Eleven rounds of ammunition, six detonators, 600 gm of plastic explosives and some other explosive materials were recovered from his possession, police said.

A man identified as Markanto Singh and suspected to be an active worker of Kanglei Yawol Kann Lup (KYKL), was also arrested by a team of police commandos and security forces of Red Shield division of the Army in Nambol area of Bishenpur district last evening.

One 9 mm pistol, one grenade and three live rounds of ammunition were recovered from him. Official sources said Markanto Singh was an employee of state archives department but they could not explain how and why the arms were recovered from the possession of a government employee. In a statement, the KYKL said it has no links with Markanto Singh.

PTI