A police official said that the recovery of the live hand grenade in front of the prominent women’s college in an important location triggered panic among the people in Imphal West district.

Senior police officials with a huge contingent of police personnel rushed to the spot and with the help of a bomb squad, removed the live hand grenade and averted a major incident.

The women's college is located less than 100 metres from the Governor's house and 300 metres from Chief Minister N. Biren Singh's official residence and Manipur Police headquarters.

The incident comes amid several educational institutions in Imphal valley reportedly receiving extortion threats.

In another development, police arrested three militants belonging to different valley-based outfits allegedly for extorting money from people and traders.

Police said that one cadre each of Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL), Kangleipak Communist Party (Noyon) and Kangleipak Communist Party (People's War Group) were arrested from Manipur's Imphal West and Bishnupur districts.

The militants of KYKL and KCP (Noyon) outfits, identified as Thongam Naoba Meitei (21) and Huidrom Prabhash Singh alias Nonil (23) respectively.

Another militant, identified as Oinam Amar Singh alias Joy (47) belonging to KCP (People's War Group), was nabbed in Keibul Chingmeirong Mayai Leikai in Bishnupur district.

One car, seven mobile handsets along with additional three SIM cards and some cash amounts were recovered from the active members of the three extremist outfits.

Meanwhile, search operations and area domination were conducted by combined security forces comprising Army, Assam Rifles, Central Reserve Police Force, Border Security Force in the fringe and vulnerable areas of both hill and valley districts to nab the militants and armed cadres of various organisations besides recovering looted arms and ammunition.