Three Militants Held in Manipur Extortion Case
Arrests made in Imphal East and West districts as police intensify operations against extortion networks linked to banned insurgent outfits.
IMPHAL- Manipur Police have arrested three militants from proscribed insurgent outfits in connection with alleged extortion activities in Imphal East and Imphal West districts, officials said on Sunday, March 1, 2026.
According to a police statement, the three suspects were taken into custody on Saturday, February 28, during targeted operations aimed at disrupting criminal financing networks linked to underground groups.
Police identified two of the arrested individuals as cadres of the United National Liberation Front — a banned militant group — apprehended from the Wangkhei Ayangpalli area in Imphal East district. During the operation, law enforcement recovered one pistol and two magazines loaded with 16 live rounds from their possession.
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The third suspect was taken into custody from his residence in Imphal West district and alleged by authorities to be a member of the Kangleipak Communist Party (Nongdrenkhomba faction).
The arrests form part of ongoing efforts by security forces to clamp down on militant-linked extortion rackets, which local police say have targeted businesses, transport operators, and civilians across the valley. Authorities have indicated that investigations are continuing, and search operations are underway in “vulnerable areas” to identify additional suspects and dismantle broader criminal networks.
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Earlier in the week, security forces also detained four additional alleged militants linked to the banned People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (Progressive) during multi-district operations carried out between February 26 and 27 as part of the intensified crackdown on extortion-related crimes.
The renewed focus on militant financing and extortion comes as part of a wider law-enforcement strategy in Manipur, where underground groups have historically used coercive collections to sustain operations. Police have reiterated that strict measures will continue to protect public safety and disrupt illegal activities linked to insurgency.
