Asem Bhakta Singh, Reporter North East
Imphal: Amid the interminable ethnic conflict besieging Manipur, police rescued unharmed a student and arrested eight persons who are suspected to be cadres of an underground group and his kidnappers during a swift operation carried out at Yumnam Huidrom in Imphal West district in the wee hours of Saturday. The cops also recovered three arms from them.
Imphal West Superintendent of Police, Ksh Shivakanta Singh, at a hurriedly summoned media conference held at his office, said that Imphal police station received a complaint on Saturday around 1am, saying that one Laishram Chinglen Singh (22) was kidnapped from DM College of Science, New Boys’ Hostel here on Friday afternoon around 1.30 .
For the student’s safe release, the kidnappers demanded a ransom of Rs 15 lakh from his family, threatening that failure to comply with the demand would result in the youth being returned as a dead body.
All teams of Imphal West district police, upon the complaint, immediately activated and raids were carried out at different places and at around 2 am, the police conducted operation at Yumnam Huidrom Makha Leikai under Wangoi police station, the SP said.
The police, during the raid, found the missing youth from a house belonging to one Asem Chaoba (63), and subsequently rescued him, he said, adding that eight suspected kidnappers, who were seen in two vehicles in the area, were also arrested.
Shivakanta added that three weapons, including one Ghatak rifle, an AK-47 rifle and a .32 pistol along with a magazine and bullets each, 13 mobile handsets, one sword (samurai) and two cars were recovered from their possession.
During initial enquiry, it is revealed that the kidnappers belong to Kangleipak Communist Party, People’s War Group KCP (PWG) and they are working under one Lamynaba Khuman, the senior police officer continued.
Khwairakpam Rajen Singh (24), Sukham James Singh (23), Moiranghem Amarjit Singh (25), Taorem Rohit Singh (23) , Kakyenpaibam Hemjit Singh (21), Sandam Romen Singh (36), Khagembam Dayananda Singh (23) and Sarungbam Umananda (34) are the arrested persons, he said.
