Imphal: A joint team of Central and state security forces has continued its search operations to arrest all those involved in the killing of three Meitei men in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district earlier this week, Home Minister Konthoujam Govindas Singh said on Friday.
The Home Minister said that security forces had also raided a designated camp of insurgent groups that had signed the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with the Centre and detained 18 people for questioning.
Saying that uninterrupted operations were underway in connection with the recent killing of three youths in the Sunurok hills of Kangpokpi district on October 19, Singh said a joint team comprising Cobra personnel, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Manipur Police raided the designated Sinai camp in Kangpokpi district, where 18 people were detained.
The camp is designated for groups that have signed the SoO agreement, the Home Minister told the media on the sidelines of a tree plantation programme at Olympian Park in Imphal.
“Of the 18 people detained, one has been identified as a cadre of a Kuki outfit that had signed the SoO agreement, while the identities of the remaining detainees are yet to be ascertained,” he said.
According to Singh, the SoO agreement expired on September 4 and had not been renewed.
The Minister said that search operations would continue not only at Kuki camps but also at camps belonging to outfits associated with Meitei and Naga groups.
He also highlighted the difficulties faced by security forces while conducting search operations in the hill areas of the state.
“Impartial measures will be taken to maintain law and order. The government is trying to restore normalcy,” he added.
A total of 23 underground outfits under two conglomerates — eight under the United People’s Front (UPF) and 15 under the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) — have been under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) arrangement with the Union government since August 2008.
Meanwhile, Assam Rifles personnel continued their search operations in the Phailengkot area along the border between Kangpokpi and Imphal East districts and recovered arms and ammunition.
The recovered items included one .22-calibre rifle, one CMG (as described in the original report) with a magazine, one Japanese-made pistol with a magazine, and one improvised explosive device (IED).
In addition, a large quantity of ammunition, magazines and other items were also recovered during the operation, a Manipur police official said.
The search operation was still underway.
–IANS–
