Three cadres of militant outfit Prepak (Pro) arrested in Manipur

Three cadres of the banned militant outfit People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (Prepak-Pro) were arrested in Manipur’s Thoubal district, police said on Thursday.

The arrested members of the outlawed group were involved in extortion, a police statement said.

“Acting on information that some active cadres of Prepak (Pro) organisation are loitering in and around Thoubal Athokpam area, a combined team of Commando Unit Thoubal and a column of 4 AR (Assam Rifles) led by OC-CDO, Thoubal, under the supervision of Sr. SP Thoubal District, rushed to the area near HDFC Bank and arrested three active cadres of the unlawful organisation around 4 pm on Wednesday,” it said.

They have been identified as Nambram Indrajit Singh, Rajkumar Mohen Sana and Warepam Albert Meitei Thoi.

A grenade, demand letters of Prepak (Pro), three mobile phones and one motorcycle were recovered from their possession, the police said.

During interrogation, the arrested cadres of the militant outfit admitted that they were involved in extortion from schools, colleges and government offices of Thoubal district under the instruction of one Sinthoiba of their organisation, according to the statement.

The arrested persons along with seized items were handed over to the Thoubal Police Station for taking further necessary legal action against them.

Meanwhile, security forces, during separate search operations in Churachandpur and Chandel districts, recovered 10 firearms and a cache of ammunition, another police statement said.

More than 250 people in Manipur have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and adjoining hills-based Kuki-Zo groups since May last year.