Imphal, June 4 (IANS) A Manipur Police havildar was killed after being brutally attacked by a drug trafficker during an anti-narcotics operation, while security forces recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition and arrested six militants from different districts of the state, officials said on Thursday.

A police official said that a team of the Commando Unit (CDO) of Thoubal district detained two persons on Wednesday based on specific Intelligence inputs regarding illicit drug trafficking activities.

During the operation, one of the detainees, identified as Md. Naobi alias Mahil (25), reportedly attacked Havildar Suresh Singh of the 4th Battalion of the Manipur Rifles (IRB) with a knife, inflicting fatal injuries.

Following the attack, the accused managed to flee from the spot along with the other detainee.

The injured police personnel was immediately evacuated to the District Hospital in Thoubal, where doctors declared him brought dead late on Wednesday night.

Following intensive search operations launched by the police, the prime accused, Md. Naobi alias Mahil, was arrested by Thoubal District Police on Thursday.

Further search operations are continuing, and an investigation into the incident is underway, the official said.

The slain havildar was attached to the CDO unit of the Thoubal district police. The Manipur Police Commando Unit (CDO) is an elite and specialised tactical wing of the state police force.

Commonly referred to as CDO personnel, its members are deployed for rapid response duties, counter-insurgency operations, anti-drug campaigns, and maintenance of law and order across various districts of the state.

Meanwhile, in separate operations, security forces arrested six militants belonging to different insurgent outfits from Chandel and Imphal East districts.

According to officials, the arrested extremists are members of the Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL), Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP), and the People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) outfits.

Security personnel also recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition from a hut in the Irilbung area of Imphal East district.

The seized weapons and ammunition included two AK-series rifles, one Self-Loading Rifle (SLR), one 9 mm carbine, four powerful hand grenades, two AK-rifle magazines, one SLR magazine, and a quantity of live ammunition of various calibres.

The security forces, comprising both central and state agencies, have continued their intensified crackdown against militants through search operations and area domination exercises in fringe, mixed-population and other vulnerable areas across the state.

As part of the ongoing security measures, a total of 114 nakas and checkpoints have been established across Manipur in both valley and hill districts to curb the movement of militants, anti-social elements and suspicious vehicles.

Security forces have also been providing escorts to vehicles, including trucks carrying essential commodities, along the strategically important Imphal-Jiribam National Highway (NH-37).

Officials said strict security arrangements and convoy protection measures remain in place in vulnerable stretches of the highway to ensure the safe movement of goods and passenger vehicles.

Manipur Police have once again urged the public not to believe rumours and to remain cautious about fake videos and misinformation circulating on social media platforms.

“The veracity of any circulation of unfounded videos or audio clips may be confirmed from the Central Control Room. Uploading and circulating fake posts on social media will attract legal action,” a police statement warned.

–IANS

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