IMPHAL, June 11: A combined team of security forces on a manhunt to find the rifleman who is absconding alongwith four arms (two SLRs recovered since then) and ammunition on June 7 from the 5th MR post which was set up to guard the Railway Construction Bridge No 40 reportedly ended up nabbing eight United Tribal Liberation Army (UTLA) cadres.
According to information received by IFP, the incident happened today early morning at around 2:30 at Saikulphai in Tamenglong district.
A combined team of Manipur police and 5th MR camping at Jiribam who were on the manhunt to find the rifleman who ran away from 5th MR post indentified as Jamkholal Luphao (30), after receiving information about the presence of some underground elements conducted a search operation.
During the search operation, the combined team nabbed eight cadres of UTLA who are under Suspension of Operation (SoO).
Speaking to IFP, SP Tamenglong district Themthing Ngashangba said that the search operation was launched to find the deserter rifleman.
The UTLA cadres were unarmed when they were nabbed by the combined team. Later, after proper verification it was confirmed that they were cadres of the SoO signatory group UTLA, the SP maintained.
They were explained about the operation to find the deserter rifleman and were released unconditionally, the SP said.
They have also said that they will help in the manhunt of the deserter rifleman, the SP added.
It may be mentioned here that out of the four arms that were stolen two 7.62 mm Self Loading Rifle were recovered along with the uniform of the rifleman on June 8.