Three militants arrested in Manipur for extortion and recruitment

Three militants belonging to banned armed groups have been arrested in Manipur's Imphal West district for allegedly taking part in extortion and recruiting new members.

The Arrests

Two of the arrested men are members of the People's Liberation Army. They are 50-year-old Maibam Arun and 26-year-old Wahengbam Bimol. Police caught them on Tuesday. Another suspect, 29-year-old Laishram Bishal Singh, belongs to the PREPAK group. Security forces caught him on Monday during a search operation in the Mayang Imphal Thana area because he was involved in bringing in new recruits.

Context

Armed rebel groups have operated in Manipur for decades, often using extortion and forced recruitment to sustain their underground activities. Security forces regularly carry out search and crackdown operations across the state to trace and capture members of these banned organisations.