Head count of URF militants conducted
Source: Hueiyen News Service / NNN
Imphal, October 20 2014:
All surrendered militants belonging to the United Revolutionary Front (URF) which is a signatory to suspension of operation (SoO) involving both Manipur and Central Governments were on Monday appeared for verification before the Inspector General of Police (Intelligence) during which a total of 62 cadres of the outfit were apparently found gone astray.
Only 80 URF militants were present at the verification process conducted by a police team headed by IGP (Intelligence) KT Vaiphei at the 1st Manipur Rifles parade ground here.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the verification, IGP KT Vaiphei said the step has been taken up to make sure the exact number of URF cadres in the wake of the threat given by the outfit's top leader Lalheiba to the Government to go back to the jungle.
"We wanted to find out the current exact number of URF cadres but only 80 of the 142 were present at the verification process," Vaiphei said.
A SoO pact was signed between URF and Central and Manipur Governments on February 13, 2013.At the signing of the pact, the outfit's cadre strength was 144 but two of them were found murdered inside the outfit's designated camp in Loitang Khunou recently.
The Government is planning to record weekly attendance of URF militants, Vaiphei said.
He said the monthly stipend for URF militants had been paid for up to month of July this year, and that the Government was considering clearing the due stipend after completion of the verification.