Police seize huge cache of PLA arms
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, December 08 2010: A huge cache of arms and ammunition was recovered by police commandos in a follow up to the disclosures made by an arrested overground member of People Liberation Army (PLA), police said Wednesday.

The recovered items include seven AK-series rifles with 14 magazines and 253 live rounds, one RPG, one sten carbine with magazine, an M-16 UBGL with one magazine and 70 rounds and four 9 mm pistols with four magazines.

The seized arms and ammunition was displayed before the media today at Commando Complex, Hatta Minuthong.

Speaking at the arm display, Imphal West Additional SP (ops), Dr Akoijam Jhalajit Singh said that the items were recovered during an operation launched by a joint team of Imphal West and Thoubal district police commandos based on specific input of presence of some PLA cadres and its overground members in Wabagai Ayangbi area of Thoubal district.

Arms and ammunition recovered from overground PLA member on display

Around 4 pm, an overground member of the proscribed RPF/PLA identified as Naorem Komol alias Kamal Meitei (34) son of N Leibaklokpa Singh of Wabagai Yangbi, Thoubal was arrested from his residence.

From the disclosures made by Komol, the arms and ammunition were dug out from the courtyard of his residence, the police officer told reporters.

While alleging that Komol is an overground member of the proscribed, outfit the additional SP said that he is presently working under the Thoubal District Commander of PLA Mr Sanju and works under cover of an NGO, Rapid Intervention and Care (RIAC), Wabagai as an Outreach Worker.

RIAC is an NGO getting grants from the Manipur State AIDS Control Society (MACS), he added.

Komol who was also produced before the media said that the arms and ammunition was handed over to him by Sanju, Thoubal district commander of PLA in September.

He repeatedly requested Sanju not to leave the arms with him.

At that Sanju stuffed the arms and ammunition in a rubber tube and concealed the cache under the earth in a corner of his courtyard.

Whenever Sanju contacted him over phone, he always requested him to take away the arms.

Sanju assured of taking away the arms soon but he never came, Komol said.

At the arms display, three AK-rifles, two hand grenades seized earlier by a team of Imphal West police commandos and 38 Assam Rifles were also included in the display.

The combined force recovered the arms and ammunitions in a joint operation in Wapokpi area under Kumbi police station recently.

Meanwhile, a PREPAK cadre was arrested by a team of Imphal west police today around 7.30 am from RIMS Road.

He was identified as Abujam Bishwajit (35) son of late Manihar of Samurou Awang Leikai.

A statement of the Imphal West Senior SP said that Bishwajit was a peon serving in the state secretariat and was involved in the collection of money as party funds from RIMS doctors, government employees and individuals.

An identity card, name of three doctors, two receipt books of PREPAK, one CD disk and a mobile handset were recovered from him, the statement added.