Five militants from two banned groups arrested in Manipur, arms seized

December 16, 2025

Imphal: Security forces in Manipur arrested five militants belonging to two banned outfits during joint operations carried out over the past 24 hours, officials said on Tuesday. The arrests were made in Bishnupur, Imphal West and Imphal East districts.

Extortion links, arms and drugs recovered
The militants, associated with the outlawed PREPAK and Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP), were allegedly involved in extortion from contractors, government employees and traders. Security forces also recovered arms and ammunition from Thoubal and Imphal East districts, including rifles, pistols, hand grenades and large quantities of ammunition. Separately, a drug peddler was arrested with one kg of brown sugar worth about ₹20 lakh.

Heightened security, public advisory issued
Authorities said extensive combing and search operations are underway across valley and hill districts, with checkpoints and vehicle escorts in place to ensure safety. Manipur Police urged people to avoid rumours, beware of fake social media content and appealed for the return of looted arms and explosives.