Imphal/Guwahati, Sep 14 (IANS ) Four dreaded militants have been arrested in Manipur and Assam in two separate operations, an official said on Saturday, adding a huge cache of arms was also recovered during searches by security forces in the unrest-struck northeastern state of Manipur.
According to Defence sources, the Assam Rifles troopers, based on specific intelligence regarding the movement of militants along the India-Myanmar border, launched an operation in Tengnoupal district.
"The troops spotted the movement of some individuals in the jungle. The team closed swiftly and cut off an escape, leading to the apprehension of three PLA (People's Liberation Army) cadres. The extremists were handed over to Pallel Police station in Manipur for further legal proceedings," a source said.
In another development, based on secret information, a team of Special Task Force, Assam carried out an operation at Beltola area in Guwahati on Friday night and apprehended a person hailing from Manipur who had been found to be involved in various sabotage activities.
An Assam Police spokesperson said that the apprehended person was identified as L.S. Yosef Chongloi (34), a resident of Manipur's Churachandpur district.
Chongloi, a self-styled Finance Secretary of the United Kuki National Army and suspected to be involved in various sabotage activities covering Manipur and bordering areas of Assam.
The spokesperson said that he was also involved in the recent bomb blast that destroyed Sapermaina on National Highway-2 and the armed attack on an Indian Oil Corporation convoy at Tamenglong in Manipur.
Besides, in a separate development, soldiers of the Indian Army along with the Border Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force and Manipur Police carried out intelligence-based joint operations at Maulsang and Shejang in Churachandpur district in the last 48 hours and recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition.
The recovered arms and ammunition include one 7.62 mm AK Series assault rifle, one modified M-16 rifle, one large country-made mortar, three medium-sized country-made improvised mortars (pumpi), one 7.5 feet country-made rocket, ammunition and war-like stores.