IMPHAL, November 10: As part of the hectic preparation works taken up for the forthcoming Sangai Festival in Imphal by the government of Manipur, a team of Manipur police led by SP (Ops) Imphal West, K Meghachandra conducted search operation at North AOC areas today.
According to sources, areas of Zomi Villa and Kekru Villa of North AOC were searched by the police team. Altogether 157 persons including five personnel of Indian Reserved Battalion (IRB) were held from the said areas during the operation for further verification.
Out of the 157 detained, 100 of them are male and 57 female. It has been learnt that most of them are drug abusers, sex workers and drug peddlers.
Sources continued that the five IRB personnel were found in an inappropriate manner in company with the sex workers.
It may be mentioned that the organisers of the Sangai Festival have been frantically working in Imphal areas, particularly on improving the approach roads leading to the festival venue. With the non-completion of the Sanjenthong Bridge, which is one of the important connecting bridges between the twin districts of Imphal, the government has been taking out road repairing works at various places in order to ease the flow of traffic along the festival routes.