Imphal: One cadre of the banned Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) and a militant of the proscribed People’s Liberation Army (PLA) have been arrested in Manipur.
The duo were allegedly involved in large-scale extortion drives in the southern part of Manipur, officials said.
An official source said they were apprehended along with four mobile handsets in separate operations on Monday.
Based on specific input, a combined team of Kakching police commando and 37 Assam Rifles launched an operation and apprehended a KCP militant from a hideout at Sekmaijin Heibong Makhong in Kakching district around 4.30 pm Sunday.
The cadre has been identified as Angom Ibochouba Singh alias Lalchaba alias Punshiba (43) .
He was involved in the extortion of money for party funds from the public, the police said on Tuesday.
From his interrogation, it has been established that Ibochouba joined the KCP in 2009 and underwent basic military training at Ukhrul Upper Leishal Hill, Manipur in 2009.
He is working under the command of Lamyanba Khuman, the self-styled chairman of the outfit, the police stated.
Ibochouba from Moirang Khoiru Leikai in Manipur’s Bishnupur district was appointed as district commander of Bishnupur and Churachandpur, the police added.
In a separate operation, the commandos of the Manipur police also arrested a cadre of proscribed PLA from Nongpok Lourembam Mayai Leikai in Thoubal district on Monday.
The cadre has been identified as Khoirom Ratan Singh (41), the police said.
On receipt of input from 16 Assam Rifles around 7.30 am Monday, the Commandos carried out the frisking-checking operation in the Thoubal Awang Leikai area during which the team arrested Khoirom Ratan.
Four mobile phones were found on him.
After interrogation, he informed the police that Ratan was a former cadre of the banned KCP (Noyon).
He joined the outfit in 2010 and held the rank of lance corporal.
He then joined the PLA under a new name, ‘Khaba’, and worked under the outfit’s self-styled commander Ronel alias Moibung.
He was involved in extorting money from businessmen and people of the Thoubal district in the southeastern part of Manipur.