Three NSCN (K) Militants involved in Manipur Truck Ambush Arrested by Assam Rifles

Three NSCN (K) Militants involved in Manipur Truck Ambush Arrested by Assam Rifles

Imphal: In a major development regarding the September 21 incident in Manipur where suspected NSCN (K) cadres looted at least 20 trucks and kidnapped a driver, the Kadamtala Battalion of Assam Rifles arrested three cadres of NSCN (K) along with sophisticated weapons and ammunition from New Kaiphundai area of Tamenglong district in Manipur.

Reportedly, the arrested cadres of the banned Naga rebel group were involved in the incident where a truck driver was kidnapped when he refused to pay the extortion amount demanded by them.

In an audacious attempt to thwart the peace-keeping initiatives of the Armed Forces and create insurgency situation in Manipur, a band of armed militants attacked and looted at least 20 trucks in Manipur, abducted a driver and injured two others on Saturday, informed the Manipur police.

Police further informed the media that the incident occurred on Maku bridge and the trucks were on their way from Assam to Imphal. The armed militants attacked the trucks by starting to fire at them and created a chaotic situation on the national highway.

Following the ghastly attack, the militants abducted one of the drivers and took him as hostage so that the armed forces and police would find it difficult to counter-attack them as they would be more concerned about the safety of the hostage.

The militants brutally beat up another driver and a handyman. The attackers left with cash and several mobile phones. However, they did not touch the merchandise on board the trucks, police informed.

The Manipur police has formed a special team which is investigating into the matter. No arrests have been made yet, but a massive manhunt and combing operations have already started in the area.

Police informed that following the incident, Assam Rifles jointly with the Manipur Police and launched an immediate combing operation to arrest the NSCN (K) cadres involved in it and achieved the major breakthrough.

The Assam Rifles personnel recovered two US Made M series Assault Rifles, around 425 rounds of live ammunition and three hand grenades from their possession.

The economic importance of this highway has led to a number of extortions, kidnappings and illegal tax collection by various insurgent groups like NSCN(K), LTT – erstwhile UTLA (P) and NSCN(IM) are reported to be involved in these incidents. The kidnapping of two employees of Coastal Construction Company on 05 Sep 2018 by LTT was a recent example of these illegal activities by the insurgents.

Meanwhile, as per sources in the police, Security Forces have now initiated a massive operation against these illegal activities in the region as these are constantly disrupting the development in the region.

Moreover, Kadamtala Battalion had earlier delivered a death blow to the insurgents active in the area by neutralizing the SS C-in-C of the then UTLA (P) group and apprehending four of its cadres with sophisticated arms and ammunition in a series of operations which started from 10 June 2018 onwards. In the recent past, four active cadres of ZUF, including its secretary of HR and Welfare, were apprehended along with arms and ammunition from village Ramgaijang, which lies along NH-37, in Cachar district of Assam.

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