IMPHAL, December 8: A combined team of Imphal West commandos and 18th Sikh regiment arrested one PREPAK cadre along with a powerful Improvise Explosive Device this afternoon around 2:30pm from Changangei near COMET school under Singjamei police station.
According to the police, the arrested individual has disclosed his involvement in the IED explosion at Bordin Workshop, Tiddim road on November 12 which had killed a civilian on the spot while leaving another seriously injured.
The arrested cadre along with the IED was paraded before media persons at the Imphal West Commando Complex this evening.
Speaking to media persons at the commando complex, Dy SP Sarangthem Ibomcha said that on getting specific information about the presence of some members of the proscribed PREPAK in and around the Changangei area, a combined team of Imphal west commando led by OC commando I/W P John Singh and 18th Sikh apprehended the cadre from the Changangei near COMET school at around 2:30pm.
He continued that on preliminary verification the arrested person identified himself as Ningthoujam alias Wangoo Chaoba Singh, 37 son of (L) N Angouba Singh of Leimaram Mayai Leikai and an active member of the proscribed PREPAK and working under one Laiyekpam Dinesh alias Aningba alias Sakhi son of (l) Inaochao of Tekcham Khonou.
The police officer also said that the arrested militant cadre further disclosed that he use to transport arms and ammunition including IEDs for the outfit.
He also disclosed that he had himself planted the powerful IED which exploded on 12 November at around 5:20pm near the Bordin workshop Tiddim Road which killed a civilian on spot and left another critically injured, the police officer said.
Further from his discloser a powerful IED, two sets of batteries, and two electronic transistors were recovered from the house of one Moirangthem Iboyaima Singh of Leimaram Mamang Leikai, the police said.
He also disclosed that Aningba directed him to plant the IED at the suitable location along the Tiddim road to attack the security forces within one or two day, for which he was planning, the Dy SP said.
Chaoba had also disclosed that the bomb was sent from Moreh by the PREPAK and that he had received the IED bomb some days back.
He also disclosed that the outfit paid him Rs five thousand for planting a bomb and that this is his second time involvement in the planting of a bomb.