273 UG cadres arrested in six months
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 17 2016: Manipur police arrested 273 underground cadres belonging to different UG groups from January to June this year.

Four ultras were killed in encounters with police/ security forces while 64 different weapons, 959 assorted ammunition, 41 hand grenades, 12 lathode shells, 68 detonators, five bombs, one TNT bomb, four IEDs, 27 gelatine explosive sticks, two safety fuse (six feet long non-electric), one electric detonator and 3 W/T sets were seized during this time, said a statement issued by DIPR.

Further, the police/security forces also recovered Rs 6, 50, 552 and Kyat 50 from the leaders/cadres of various UG groups.

Moreover, 32 persons including militants belonging to various UG groups were detained under NSA.

Manipur police has been engaged in registering criminal cases against the unlawful and subversive activities of UG groups, detection and prosecution of offenders under the provisions of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Indian Penal Code, Arms Act, etc.

The subversive activities of both valley and hill based UG organizations and other anti-social elements have been contained through proactive security measures and intensive counter insurgency operations.

The statement claimed that Manipur Police, with the help of the Army, CPMF, AR, has been able to restrain and curb the activities of the UGs to a large extent.

The activities of the UGs in the valley area have been checked to a great extent due to the intensive counter-insurgency operations.

Similarly, in the hill districts, the area domination by SF and police compelled the UG elements to seek refuge in neighboring countries like Myanmar, Bangladesh etc apart from taking shelter in other States of the country.

To provide security to Imphal Municipal area, an action plan covering seven Assembly segments which are de-notified areas in the context of Disturbed Areas under Imphal East and Imphal West has been put in place.

The objective of the action plan is to instill a sense of security to the public from threats and extortions as well as kidnapping for ransom, killing etc.

The action plan takes into consideration the demographic distribution of communities, and care has been taken to ensure that such areas are equally covered.

Apart from this, the action plan has a scope of handling critical situations like mass agitations, social unrest, bandhs and blockades, the statement said.

The areas under the action plan has been divided in a contiguous manner and divided into eight zones, 25 sectors and 105 points.

Each of these 105 points, with areas/villages/leikais under the jurisdiction of each point clearly defined, are manned by armed security personnel (including commandos), round the clock (in three shifts).

The efforts of these security personnel are supplemented by deployment of civil police personnel, women police, plain-clothes police personnel as watchers, besides mobile patrolling.

The security personnel deployed at these points/sectors/zones are tasked to do frisking and checking of persons, both at random and on suspicion, besides maintaining constant vigil and alertness to prevent movement and activities of insurgents in their respective area of jurisdiction.

The presence on duty and constant alertness of police personnel is being closely monitored and supervised by senior officers including the zonal commander, who is a Gazetted Officer.

The deployment of security personnel within the Imphal Municipal area at strategic locations and as per the action plan has greatly helped in checking both the movement and activities of insurgents and consequently commission of unlawful and subversive activities by them, the statement added.

Manipur Police Department has not only checked extortion demands made through phones by maintaining appropriate surveillance but also provide permanent security to important offices like offices of PWD, PHED, Power, IFCD, Forest, Agriculture, etc so that cadres of militant outfits cannot enter these offices and carry out extortion threats, the statement claimed.

Carrying of mobile phone inside these offices has also been banned towards this effort.

Dedicated house guard-cum-escorts have been provided to the officers posted at vulnerable posts.

Many of the Heads of the Departments and a large number of engineers have been provided such security.

The Police Department has also provided mobile security to business establishments and bazar areas, etc.

Security posts and coverage have been provided along NH-37 and NH-2 so that extortion by militants/anti-social elements is curbed along the highways.

Mobile check points have been set up at strategic locations along the main routes of Imphal and other important towns of the State, the statement said.

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