Saturday, August 18, 2007

Police raid exposes MLAs-underground nexus for all to see, 12 militants held from Congress MLAs' quarters in high security Babupara

By : A Staff Reporter 8/18/2007 1:51:02 AM
MAY BE JUST AN ICEBERG

Weapons, ammunitions and demand letters of KYKL were also recovered in today’s raid which has struck a heavy blow to the status of legislators in the state.

State DGP Y Joykumar has said that the raid was conducted to reduce the increasing extortion threat in the Imphal area from the underground organizations. The DGP was talking briefly during a hurriedly call press conference late this evening.

Interestingly, all the underground members were rounded up from the quarters of MLAs and an ex-MLA of the ruling Congress, namely the quarters occupied by MLA W Brajabidhu Singh of Lamsang A/C, K Meghachandra of Wangkhem A/C, Bijoy Koijam of Thongju A/C and by ex-MLA N Sovakiran Singh.

Imphal police station has taken up a case under section 16/17/20 UAP (A) act and 25 (1-B) Arms Act. Cases have also been registered against the arrested cadres of the underground organizations.

The cordon and search operation began early morning at around 3 am and movement of people in the colony was strictly monitored. Outgoing movement from the colony was restricted till this evening.

State police commandos cordoned off the area from state guest house to the by-lane to Imphal west DC office, then commenced quarter to quarter search operations.

The operation was conducted under the supervision of the DIG, range-1, Karnajit and Imphal west SP, Clay Khongsai.

Around 50 people were picked up from different quarters and verification was conducted one by one at the Imphal west district police complex which is co-located with the Imphal police station.
“We are keeping the whole area cordoned as there is still apprehension that some more underground activists are sheltering in the area,” a police officer who took part in the operation said without revealing his name.

The VIPs’ colony is still kept sealed by the police as the search operation was going on till late evening. Strict vigil is being maintained at the MLAs quarters where the UGs were rounded up
Among the arrested 12 members, eight were KYKL cadres, all of whom were rounded up from the quarters of the Lamsang MLA W Brajabidhu.

Police also recovered disassembled parts of an M-16 rifle and a 9 mm pistol, 10 rounds of M-16 ammunitions, five rounds of 9mm and five demand letters of the outfit addressed to different businessmen in Imphal area. The disassembled weapons were detected from septic tank of the MLA’s quarter from where the KYKL cadres were rounded up, police said.

One of the demand letters was addressed to JMJ Shopping owner Paona Bazaar opposite Friends Cinema Hall. The letter demands Rs, 5 lakh from the owner.

Another letter was addressed to 15 shop owners of JMJ shopping complex.

The texts of other letters revealed that the outfit was seeking monetary donations from owners of truck, bus, JCB, roller, dredger, tractor, kabao, jeep, auto-rickshaw, van, brick field, LIC, hospital, clinic, doctors, jewellery, shops, counters and restaurants etc. The rates sought ranged from Rs. 1000 to 50,000.
The eight arrested KYKL men were identified as Thingbaijam Soberson alias Captain alias Nanao, 33 son of late Khomdonbi of Top Awing Leikai under Poropmpat police, RK Robindro alais
Sanjoy, 34 son of late RK Dijamani Singh of Naoremthong Khullen Leikai under Imphal police station, Lourembam Sana alias Nilachandra, 22 son of L Jugeshwor Singh of Irengband Hawairok Awang Leikai under Kakching police station, Keisham Hemanta, 18 son of N Tomar of Leimaram Makhs Leikai under Nambol police station currently residing at Phayeng Awang Leikai, lourembam Tiken, 38, son of late L Inaobi of Taothong Maning leikai under lamsang police station, Kongrailakpam Giridhari Sharma, 31, son of K Krishnadas Sharma of Maharabi Makha Leikai of Sekmai police station and Ingudam Ibosana Meitei, 45 son of late I Chaomu of Taothong Mamang Leikai under Lamsang police station.

The quarters of the MLA Brajabidhu is located opposite to the Imphal west DC office, Babupara.

One PLA activist and a KCP member were rounded up from the quarters of MLA, Meghachandra. They were identified as Nongthombam Somorendro alais Ibomcha alias Raja, 32 son of N Babudhon of Wangbal Leikon under Thoubal police station of PLA and Konthoujam Tomba, 40, son of late Gouro Singh of Thiyam Konjin Makha Maning Leiksi of Irilbung police station, a KCP cadre. The PLA cadre was a bail out one.

The only PREPAK cadre was rounded up from MLA Bijoy Koijam quarter and identified as Ningombam Rohendro alias Yaima alias Sindamba, 29 son of N Biren of Singjamei Waikhom Leikai under Singjamei police station, according to the police.

Bijoy Koijam has in the meantime denied that anyone was arrested from his quarters.

The MLA disclosed that the man said to have been arrested was casually employed as a driver, and informed that during the raid he had been taken for verification, but later released
He may have been formally arrested later in the evening, but not from my quarters, said the MLA over telephone.

Another KCP cadre identified as Khundrakpam Anandkumar alias Bobby, 25 son of Kh biren Singh of Thoubal Haokha Maning Leikai of Thoubal was also rounded up from the quarter of the ex-MLA, Sovakiran.

Source: Imphal Free Press