IMPHAL, August 23: The police today claimed the arrest of a PREPAK (Pro) cadre who was directly involved in the recent IED blast at the western gate of the Chief Minister’s bungalow and the IED blast at `Route 39` restaurant.
Certain items used in assembling an IED were also recovered from his residence at his insistence, said the police.
Police paraded the arrested person, identified as Naoroibam Joyshankar alias Loiyumba alias Bungochou alias John (27), son of N Inaocha, of Khurai Lairikyengbam Makha Leikai, Imphal East and the recovered items before media persons at the Imphal West police headquarters today.
The recovered items included one remote control device, two number of charge demolition marked as LOTLOP81B008002 (explosive cake), two electric circuit boards, four battery cells, three electronic detonators, two packets of steel ball bearings, three motor cycle signal lights along with five bulbs, one pair of small scissors, one screwdriver, one long wire and switch and one red Yamaha FZ motorcycle.
Speaking to media persons, Imphal West SP K Jayenta said, Imphal West district police arrested one s/s lance corporal of PREPAK (Pro) yesterday evening at around 5:43 from Lilong Chajing near Lilong Higher Secondary School along with a mobile phone and also seized several items from his possession.
The officer maintained that the arrested person had revealed that he belongs to the 39th batch (2009) of PREPAK (Pro) under army number 39914 and is working under the direct command and control of the s/s PREPAK (Pro) chairman Longjam Subhas alias Paliba alias Loken (57), son of L Lupakumar of Thangmeiband Polem Leikai.
He further said that the arrested PREPAK (Pro) cadre revealed that he was directly involved in detonating the IED bombs at the western gate of the Chief Minister’s Bungalow on August 10 at around 6.25 pm and also the IED blast at Route 39 restaurant at Mantripukhri on August 17 at around 6.30 pm.
Joyshankar also revealed that both the blasts were carried out as per the instruction given to him by s/s chairman Palliba, the police officer maintained.
Further briefing the media the police officer said that Joyshankar revealed that he himself had assembled the bombs and detonated it at the said two locations.
K Jayenta has appealed to the general public to be more aware of IED bombs and to inform the police on finding any suspicious object lying unattended.
The two circuit boards which were found inside the toy cars from the van of the deceased van driver O Gyanendro is similar to the circuit board sized from the possession of the arrested PREPAK (Pro) cadre, the officer added.