Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, January 25:
Following reports of widespread use of cellular phones by militants, the State police have begun investigation to identify such connections and to deactivate them, said a well placed source from the Police Headquarters.
Disclosing this to The Sangai Express, the source said that necessary instructions have been issued to the SPs concerned to start the investigation work.
The State police have so far been able to list around 100 suspected cell phone numbers said the source adding that out of this 50 connections have been 'confirmed.' Officials of the BSNL will be asked to deactivate them.
The confirmation is said to be based on the numbers stored in the mobile phones seized during arrest of underground activists, as well as on the basis of complaints lodged by businessmen and Government officials on whom extortion threats were served through the mobile phones.
All mobile phones register and display the number of the callers.
On how underground cadres came to acquire mobile phones, the source explained preliminary investigations have revealed that most of the militants came to acquire the mobiles from the subscribers who sold them off.
In some cases the mobiles were gifted to the militants by their sympathisers or those with close connection with them.
Involvement of some BSNL Imphal officials in allotting mobile connections under fictitious names due to pressure from the underground outfits also cannot be ruled out, maintained the source and added that the investigation will also cover this aspect.
Presuming that around 300 mobile phones might be in the hands of underground cadres, the source cautioned mobile owners against re-allotting their mobile connections to unknown persons as they may face inconveniences when legal action is taken up.
The source further informed that processes have been set into motion to enable original subscribers to report either to the police or BSNL, Imphal if they want to sell their mobile phones.
Evading a direct reply on whether the police have actually enforced deactivation of mobile phones seized from the UG activists, the source however claimed that the seized phones have provided vital information.
Moreover, some subscribers whose mobile phones have been found in the possession of underground activists were served notices to choose between deactivation of connection and furnishing authorisation letters to new subscribers, most had opted for the former while some mobile phones are being authorised for use to police personnel, added the source.