Imphal, December 30, 2009: Imphal east District Police Commandos have busted the extortion network of the banned insurgent outfit, People's Liberation Army (PLA) by apprehending seven activists of the network including the division secretary of Imphal east district of the outfit and recovered arms and ammunitions.

While parading the arrested activists and displaying the recovered arms and ammunitions, SP Imphal East, Th Radheshyam said that Members of the Gram Panchayats are being used by the PLA in carrying out extortion from the government offices including from the office of the Deputy Commissioner of the district.

The outfit is utilizing members of the gram panchayats in Imphal east district to carry out their extortion from general public and government officials.

Police came to know it during the investigation on the arrested members, Radheshyam claimed.

The seven activists comprising two women and an Uppa Pradhan and member of Gram Panchayat were apprehended during a week long operation launched by the Imphal east police commandos jointly with troops of 23 Assam Rifles, the SP said speaking to reporters here at his office chamber today.

The combined team launched the operation in the follow up action to the recent attack on a team of Imphal east police commandos by cadres of the outfit along the Tinsid road which inflicted injuries to a commando personnel, he disclosed.

On December 26 last, two women activists identified Khundrakpam Chandrajini alias Echal (23) daughter of Kh Baruni of Khangabok, Thoubal district and Moirangthem Tangbi (25) daughter of M Thoiba of Palace Compound, Imphal were apprehended.

Following the disclosure made by the two apprehended women, four more cadres of the outfit including the secretary of the division-II of Imphal east district identified as Lairenlakpam Joychandra alias Ibungo alias Boxer alias Okendro (31) son of L Nemnem of Chingarel Tezpur, self style 2nd lieutenant of RPF under Army no.1339 were nabbed.

Ningombam Sikander alias SK (30) son of N Thadoi of Chingarel Tezpur, member of the Kangla gram Panchayat, Thoudam Banta (39) son of Th Khongnem of Phaknung Awang Leikai and Nongthombam Ratan alias Romeo (20) son of Samugou of same locality with the second one were nabbed together with the division secretary.

One Chinese hand grenade and one .32 revolver with six live rounds recovered from the possession of the division secretary while a 9mm pistol with magazine containing three live rounds seized from the member of the gram panchayat.

Further operation led to the nabbing of one Uppa pradhan of Uyumpok GP of Imphal east district, Kshetrimayum Brojen (38) son of Ksh Itobi of Uyumpok Mamanng Leikai yesterday.

One 9mm pistol and hand grenade seized from him.

A cache of five numbers of AK-56 rifles, one 9 mm pistol and 50 live rounds of AK-56 rifles found concealed under the earth at Lamlai near a public ground were recovered by the combined team, the SP said adding that further operation going on.

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