PREPAK cadres held, arms & ammo seized
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, November 28 2023:
At least two cadres of the proscribed PREPAK (Pro) and another member of PREPAK have been arrested along with arms and ammunition by Manipur police commandos and personnel of Assam Rifles Manipur police from different places of the state during the last few days.
A combined team of Imphal West district police and 4 Assam Rifles arrested two active cadres of PREPAK (Pro) along with arms and ammunition from Singjamei Chingamathak Pishum Leirak on November 22 .
The arrested cadres have been identified as Laishram Prem Singh (33) s/o L Shantikumar Singh of Thoubal Okram and Khumukcham Dhiren Singh alias Thakap-pa (41) s/o late Kh Nilamani Singh of Nambol Phoijing Makha Leikai.
According to police report, the two travelling in a numberless white Tata Nexon car were arrested around 10pm.Two 5.56 MM INSAS LMG, eight magazines, 161 rounds, one 9mm pistol with magazine and 5 rounds, five mobile phones, one Walkie-talkie hand set, one Aadhaar card and Rs 6500 were recovered from their possession.
On further interrogation, Dhiren disclosed that he joined the outfit in 2004 and received basic training at Sajik Tampak under army no 1548 of 15th batch.
He is a self-styled Sergeant Major.
Laishram Prem is an active member trained by Dhiren.
Both of them along with the recovered arms and ammunition and the car have been handed over to Sing jamei Police station.
Imphal West district police commandos also arrested a cadre of PREPAK from Sagolband Tera Khuraijam Leirak on November 25.The arrested active cadre has been identified as Konthoujam Chaoba alias Pushiba Meitei (42) s/o late Ibotombi Meitei of Tera Khuraijam Leirak.
According to police, Chaoba, who was arrested around 6 am from his house, disclosed that he is an active member of PREPAK working under one self-styled lieutenant Tomba based in Myanmar.
He has been involved in extortion from private schools and businessmen.
One Aadhaar card, mobile phone along with a wallet have been recovered from the possession of Chaoba, who along with the recovered items has been handed over to Lamphel police station.
Meanwhile, combined teams of state and central forces recovered huge cache of weapons and dismantled several bunkers during search operations carried out at several locations from November 23 till 28.According to a police report, a joint team of Kakching police commando unit and Hiyanglam Police Station carried out a search operation from 5am till 6am on Tuesday at Hiyanglam Waikhom Leikai, recovering one local made 9mm pistol with magazine, one 51mm mortar and one smoke grenade, which were found hidden near Hiyanglam Waikhom leikai Ibudhou Pakhangba Laikon Khongnang Pambi (banyan tree).
The recovered weapons have been handed over to Hiyanglam PS for further legal action.
According to another report, a combined team of Imphal East district commando, Sagolmang Police, 22 Assam Rifles and 18 AR conducted search operation at P Geljang, P Thenjol and Tiger Camp villages under Sagolmang PS from 6.30am till 9am on November 25 .
In all, 30 houses in Tiger Camp village were searched and the occupants verified.
The team also patrolled P Geljang and P Thenjol on foot, during which a stashed sack was found containing a US carbine with magazine, one SLR with magazine, two 9mm pistols with magazine, one .22 pistol with magazine, one grenade, two 36-HE hand grenades without detonator, one Chinese hand grenade, one detonator, 16 PEK pieces, and two IEDs.
The weapons along with the bombs were handed over to Sagolmang PS for further course of legal action.
On the other hand, as per the press note issued by Manipur Police Control Room on November 26, search operations and area domination were conducted in Kakching, Bishnupur, Tamenglong, Jiribam, Imphal West, Thoubal and Tengnoupal districts.
During the operation, three bunkers set up in Phaitol village in Tamenglong district were dismantled.
On November 24, a joint team of 22 AR, 30 AR, 32 AR, CRPF, Kangpokpi district police and Imphal West district police carried out search operation in Koutruk and Haraothel area from 7.30 am till 10am leading to recovery of one 303 Mk-IV Rifle, one 303 Rifle with magazine, one 12 Bore Single Barrel rifle, one 36 HE hand grenade without detonator, one handheld RS (Model No TH-F8) with antenna, six live cartridges of 12 Bore and four empty cartridges of 12 Bore, which were subsequently handed over to Sapermeina PS for further legal action.
On November 23, a joint team of 33 AR Keithelmanbi, Patsoi PS and Sangaithel Outpost conducted search operation in and around Sajirok Maning Loukol and Keithelmanbi Makha Leikai areas from 7.30am till 9am, and recovered one 303 rifle, one 303 SLR rifle with magazine, one pistol with magazine but without spring and plate, eight hand grenades sans detonator, three smoke grenades, one Chinese hand grenade, five detonators, two deep covers, 36 rounds of .303 ammunition, nine rounds of 7.62 mm (SLR), eight rounds of 7.62mm (AK-47/56), two rounds of 5.56mm (INSAS), eight rounds of 9mm, 10 live ammunition of .32mm, one tube launcher and one carbine machine gun with magazine from inside a bag, found hidden away near Sajirok Maning Loukol canal.
On November 23, based on a specific input from own sources and corroborated by 2 Mahar Regiment about the presence of explosives, arms and ammunition in the foothills between Haotak Khullen and Haotak Phailen village area by miscreants, a combined team of Bishnupur district police, commando unit, Kumbi PS, 2 Mahar Regiment and D144 BSF conducted a search and cordon operation in the mentioned area from 6.45am till 8.30am.During the operation, the team recovered one country made 9mm pistol with magazine, 10 HE hand grenades, and 17 soft gelatine sticks from the foothills near Haotak Phailen village: A case has been registered at Kumbi PS for further investigation, a report conveyed.
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