11 militants held in Manipur crackdown on extortion gangs

GUWAHATI: Security forces in Manipur arrested at least 11 members of banned militant outfits across four districts in the past 48 hours, targeting splinter groups involved in extortion, police said Wednesday, reports Kangkan Kalita.

A security source said the ethnic unrest since May 2023 has fuelled rise of splinter groups, increasing number of Imphal valley-based underground outfits to nearly 40. "The banned Kangleipak Communist Party has close to 20 factions. Many have turned into extortion gangs," he added.

In the initial months of conflict in 2023, mobs and insurgent groups looted estimated 4,000 weapons and over 6 lakh rounds of ammunition from police stations & IRB outposts.

Among those arrested were four active members of KCP's Apunba City Meitei faction. They were caught in Thoubal for extorting money.