Five Insurgents Held in Manipur; Weapons and Poppy Seeds Recovered

Manipur Police and central forces have intensified combing operations across sensitive hill and valley districts, detaining five militants in the last day alone. Two of the arrested men are affiliated with the United Kuki National Army, while the remaining three belong to the Manipur Revolutionary Army. Search parties recovered an AK-47 magazine, an INSAS rifle complete with four magazines, a 9mm pistol, dozens of cartridges, hand grenades and protective gear. Additional seizures included mobile phones, identity documents and a motorcycle. In a parallel anti-narcotics drive, officers arrested a 34-year-old man on National Highway-102 and confiscated nearly 190 kilograms of poppy seeds plus a vehicle. The dual crackdown highlights how militants and drug networks often operate in tandem, funding violence through contraband sales. Security personnel have established 114 static checkpoints and continue escorting supply trucks on the strategic Imphal-Jiribam route. Officials appealed to citizens to refrain from circulating unverified videos, warning that legal action will follow any attempt to spread misinformation. The latest successes underscore a broader strategy combining kinetic operations with public cooperation to stabilize the state.