Assam Rifles apprehends militants with mortar, Women folk say 'Village volunteers'

The Assam Rifles has apprehended four suspected militant cadres with 51 MM Mortal at the Mobile Vehicle Check Post in Lilong, Thoubal district, Manipur, on Monday.

While a normal frisking and checking duty was conducted by the Assam Rifles personnel, they intercepted a Tata Safari bearing registration no AS01-BH-4431 along NH-2. During the search, the security forces seized one 51 mm mortar (NL009504 GCF 2005) and arrested the four persons.

"Acting on intelligence inputs, Mobile Vehicle Check Post was established near Police Station Lilong on night 19 June. Four suspected cadres in two separate vehicles were apprehended with One 51 mm Mortar & handed over to Police," said the Official Twiter account handle of Indian Army.

???? ????????? ?????? ?? ?????????? ?????? ???????? ?????????? ????? ??????????? ?? ??????, ??????? ????? ?? #???????

Acting on intelligence inputs, Mobile Vehicle Check Post was… pic.twitter.com/fqYMojGVTJ

— SpearCorps.IndianArmy (@Spearcorps) June 20, 2023

The arrested persons have been identified as Haorongbam Ranjit, Ngangom Shanta Meitei, Abujam Naoba and Mutum Robindra.

Later, they were handed over to Lilong PS today, June 20. Accordingly, an FIR has been registered against them.

Meanwhile, women folk in Thoubal area claimed that the arrested cadres were village volunteers. Subsequently, irate women of Thoubal Haokha, Babu Keithel, Kiyam Siphai and Khong Ahanbi stormed the Lilong Assam Rifle post at around 10 PM on Monday, demanding the release of the arrested individuals without any condition. The Meira Paibis were on vigil throughout the night waiting for their release.

As per reports, as many as 29 women protesters sustained injuries in a major scuffle with security forces at Lilong during the incident.