Asem Bhakta Singh, Special Correspondent North East
Waari Singbul Network
Imphal: Amid the unceasing conflict besetting the state, unidentified armed men on Friday morning kidnapped a forty-year-old Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) of Indian Army from his residence on “gun point” in Thoubal district.
Later in the evening around 6.30, he was rescued by a team of police at Kakching district’s Waikhong area, police said even as the whole security apparatus in the state remained on high alert following the incident.
Numbering around 10, the kidnappers, who came in two SUVs and a car, barged into the residential complex of the army man, Konsam Kheda at Charangpat Mamang Leikai area under Yairipok police station around 8am, local source said.
Before long, he was abducted on “gun point” by the miscreants in the vehicles , the sources said, adding that no one was injured in the incident. Kheda is posted in Orissa and is currently on leave. The family members lodged a complaint on the matter at Yairipok police station.
Following the abduction, large number of police and security forces conducted abrupt operations at suspected areas in Thoubal and neighboring districts to rescue the army officer.
Meanwhile, a police team rescued Kheda at the Waikong area in the evening, the sources said, adding that investigation is on to establish the motive behind the abduction . No group has claimed responsibility for the incident till the time of filing this report.
This came barely ten days after members of a Meitei radical group attacked the private resident of a police office in Imphal.
On the other hand, a joint security team of Assam Rifles (AR), BSF and state police on Thursday seized a huge cache of arms and ammunition in Kuki-Zo dominated Churachdnpur district, an AR release said on Friday.
The confiscated weapons include one M-16 Rifle, a 9mm pistol, four hand grenades, a single barrel rifle, and an improvised long range mortar and war like stores.
Based on specific intelligence of presence of arms and ammunition near Mashem River at Phoisanbung village, the security team carried out a joint operation and recovered the weapons, continued the statement.
The seized weapons have been handed over to Churachandpur police station for further necessary legal action.
