Manipur top rebels held

PLA cadre Kahidom Tombi Singh in custody at Dispur police station on Friday. Picture by UB Photos
Guwahati, Sept. 19: The arrest of two high-ranking leaders of the Manipur-based People’s Liberation Army (PLA) here today has reaffirmed that militants of the neighbouring state have made the city their safe haven.
The arrested duo has been identified as “colonel” Kahidom Tombi Singh and “lieutenant colonel” Thokchom Tolen Singh alias Kunje.
A senior police officer said Tombi Singh was arrested from a rented house at Joya Nagar in the Six Mile area while Tolen Singh was apprehended from another rented house on Baikuntha Path at Lachit Nagar in the city in a pre-dawn operation.
“They had been staying in the city for the past two years and we have been tracing them for some time,” he added.
A laptop and mobile phones were recovered from the duo but no arms were found on them.
“The laptop that contains details of their operations is being examined by security agencies,” the officer said.
He said with security forces turning the heat on the militants on their home turf, the rebels have chosen the city as a hideout.
“A large number of militants from Manipur have shifted to Guwahati to cool their heels after security offensive in their home state gathered momentum,” he said.
“With thousands of students and working professionals from Manipur staying in the city, it becomes relatively easy for the militants to assimilate among them. Moreover, a large floating and cosmopolitan population provides them with the anonymity they want,” he said.
Another reason why Manipuri rebels chose the city as their favourite destination is its connectivity with other major cities by road, rail and air. This enables them to easily travel to other parts of the country from here.
“Some of them also come here for treatment since the city has good healthcare facilities,” the officer said.
With today’s arrest, the number of Manipur militants arrested in the city since 2009 has gone up to 50.
“Of those arrested, 24 belong to the United National Liberation Front, 12 to PLA, eight to Kangleipak Communist Party, three to People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak, two to Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup and one to Peoples United Liberation Front,” the officer said.