IMPHAL, June 19: The police thought they were chasing insurgents and the two suspicious looking individuals on a Honda Activa near the Thumbuthong (Bridge) area turned out to be vehicle lifters.
Speaking to media persons this evening, Addl SP (ops) Imphal East, M Rajen at his office chamber said at about 2:15am this early morning, a team of the cdo Imphal East under the supervision of the district SP, Kamei Angam Romanus conducted a CI ops in the general area of Singjamei Bheigyabati Leikai and the New Thumbuthong (Bridge).
During the course of the CI ops, the Cdo team saw two unknown persons on Honda Activa coming towards the eastern side of the bridge in a very suspicious manner.
The police officer said, the two tried to flee from the scene on seeing the Cdo team.
The team chased them and overpowered the two for further verification.
On verification, the driver of the two-wheeler identified himself as one Md Iliyas Khan, 21 son of Md Abas Khan of Sangai Yumpham Puleipokpi and the pillion rider identified himself as one Md Jallaluddin, 36 son of (L) Md Hellaluddin of Lilong Ushoipokpi Makha Leikai.
Spot verification of the vehicle and its document revealed that the two-wheeler actually belong to one Khangembam Nishikanta son of (L) Kh Nilachandra of Singjamei Wangma Bheigyabati Leikai, Kongba Road, the Addl SP said.
Further verification confirmed that the moped was stolen from the courtyard of Nishikanta the same day, while the two detainees disclosed that they are habitual vehicle lifters and that they had stolen the vehicle by breaking its lock, he said.
Addl SP M Rajen also said that the two detainees disclosed that they had injected heroin yesterday evening in between 7pm and 8pm from North AOC.
After injecting themselves with heroin, they lifted the two-wheeler which was parked in the courtyard of Nishikanta at Singjamei Wangma Bheigyabati Leikai, he said.