Guwahati: In a significant breakthrough, the Guwahati City Police apprehended a hardcore operative of a Kuki militant outfit from the Boragaon area late on the night of April 9, while Manipur Police conducted simultaneous raids recovering a massive cache of arms and ammunition in two districts.
Kuki militant arrest
Acting on precise intelligence inputs, a covert operation led to the arrest of Haulungmang Hamta, a key member of a Kuki insurgent group, who had been operating undercover in Guwahati for an extended period. Sources reveal that Hamta was involved in clandestine activities, though his exact role remains under investigation.
“A well-coordinated operation based on credible information led to his arrest. He was under surveillance for some time,” a senior police official stated on condition of anonymity.
A team from Manipur Police has arrived in Guwahati to take custody of Hamta, who will be transported to Manipur for further interrogation and legal proceedings.
Massive arms haul in Manipur
In a parallel crackdown, Manipur Police conducted raids in Kakching and Imphal West districts, recovering a staggering arsenal of weapons, including:
– Two SMG carbines (without magazines)
– One .303 rifle with magazine
– Three different types of guns (single-barrelled, double-barrelled, and a modified sniper rifle)
– One modified 9mm pistol
– Three mortar shells, two IEDs, and two grenades
– Ammunition, detonators, and other war-like stores
The recoveries were made from the Yaralpat area near a school in Imphal East and another location in Kakching. All seized items have been handed over to Porompat Police Station for legal action.
In a separate operation, Manipur Police arrested a 45-year-old cadre of the banned Kangleipak Communist Party (PWG) from Lamsang Bazaar in Imphal West. The militant was allegedly involved in extorting money from government officials in and around Imphal.
The recoveries come amid heightened security measures in Manipur, where ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities since May 2023 has claimed over 260 lives. Despite a two-week amnesty period ending on March 6 for surrendering illegal arms, weapons continue to surface. The state remains under President’s Rule after former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh’s resignation on February 9, with the Assembly in suspended animation.
Security forces are intensifying operations to dismantle militant networks ahead of possible political developments. With Hamta’s arrest and the arms seizures, authorities hope to curb further violence, though challenges persist in the restive state.
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