Manipur Youth Killed: Police, Indian Army Launch Joint Operation; 4 Held

A crack team of the Manipur Police and the Indian Army, in a joint operation, have arrested four persons, who are being held responsible for the murder of two youths -- Phijam Hemanjit and Hijam Linthoingambi – who were abducted in July. The disturbing images of the slain youths – one of them a NEET aspirant – had gone viral, leading to widespread protests in the state capital Imphal.

Incidentally, these arrests were made in Churachandpur, a hill district where several Kuki insurgent groups are based.

Even as the four suspects were rounded up, two more persons have been detained by the forces. After nabbing them, they were immediately driven to the airport, where a CBI team was waiting to fly them to Assam.

Sources said some people tried to move towards the airport on hearing about the arrests.

The one hour interlude until the plane took off palpably tense as the Central Industrial Security Force was informed about possible trouble at the airport. Nothing untoward happened, fortunately, sources told NDTV.

CM Alleges Myanmar And Bangladesh's Involvement

Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Sunday told reporters that terrorists from Myanmar and Bangladesh have joined hands with some insurgent groups to exploit the Manipur crisis, and the ongoing violence is between the terrorists and the state. On Saturday, the NIA had arrested a terror suspect from Churachandpur in a transnational conspiracy case involving terrorist leaders in Bangladesh and Myanmar.

He said, "The NIA has identified Kuki militants from Myanmar and Bangladesh, along with some home-grown miscreants…This clearly shows that there is a bigger conspiracy afoot. I want to thank the NIA, the central government, the people of Manipur and especially, PM Modi and Union HM Amit Shah, for helping us blow the lid off the bigger conspiracy."