IMPHAL, June 15: Imphal East commandos said today that they have arrested the KNF (N) cadre who was allegedly involved in lobbing a hand grenade at the residence of IFCD Minister Ngamthang Haokip at Chassad Avenue and in the killing of a camp commander of KNF (P).
Police said the militant cadre was arrested from Kongpal Khongkham Leikai today at around 11:30 am.
The Imphal East commandos have also claimed that they have recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition from Sinam Kom Sanjenlok village in another counter insurgency operation conducted by a combined team of Imphal East commandos and 16 Assam Rifles, Sagolmang post today morning at around 8 am.
The arrested person and the recovered arms and ammunition were produced before media persons at the Imphal East commando complex this evening.
Speaking to the media, Inspector Achouba, officer in Charge of Imphal East commandos said, a combined team of Imphal East commandos and 16 Assam Rifle under the supervision of Imphal East SP Angam Kamei rushed to the Sinam Kom Sanjenlok area after getting some specific information about the presence of some unlawful armed persons.
When the combined team reached the mouth of the Sinam Kom Sanjenlok village, two suspects were seen running toward the hillock, he said and added that the combined team pursued the two suspects but the two managed to escape from the combined team taking advantage of the thick grooves around the hillock.
Later, the combined team conducted an extensive search operation at the village and recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition, the police Inspector said.
The recovered arms and ammunition include four lethode shells, one magazine each of 7.65 mm pistol, 0.22 and 9mm pistols, two Magazine each of M16 Old and New, one hundred and twenty live rounds of AK rifle, six live rounds of 0.22mm pistol, ten live rounds of 9mm pistol and one live round of WRA 53, eighty five empty cases of SLR ammunition, ten empty cases of 5.56mm pistol, twenty one empty cases of 7.62 mm, four empty cases of 9mm pistol, seven empty cases of WRA 53, one hundred 9mm bullet projectile and one carbine with two magazines, he said.
Meanwhile, elaborating about the other operation wherein a KNF cadre was arrested, the police officer said, “In another counter insurgency operation, an Imphal East commando team arrested one cadre of Kuki National Front (KNF-N) from Kongpal Kongkham Leirak at around 11.30 am today.
The arrested KNF (N) cadre is identified as s/s private (with army number 103) Letginhao Haokip alias Abin Haokip Alias Haopu Alias Heigin (28), son of (L) Mangthang of Moreh Tinnumunjang, he said.
He said that the arrested KNF (N) cadre revealed that he was involved in the killing of a s/s camp commander of KNF (P) identified as Seipao alias SP on May 23 and also in the bomb attack at the residence of the IFCD Minister Ngamthang Haokip at Chasad Avenue in Imphal East district on April 26.
He carried out the attack and the killing under the instruction of one s/s commander in chief of KNF (N) and his associate s/s 2nd in command Mimin of Kangpokpi, he said.
The arrested cadre was recently working in the finance section of the outfit under the command of s/s finance commander Abee of Bongbal Khullen, the Inspector added.