UKHRUL: Security forces, including 33 Assam Rifles, conducted a search and verification exercise at the designated Sinai Suspension of Operations (SoO) camp before police formally arrested 17 individuals on Friday.
According sources, the individuals were detained after their identities reportedly did not match the list of cadres belonging to the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and Kuki Liberation Army (KLA) associated with the camp.
The 17 individuals are expected to be produced before a court on Saturday.
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The arrests followed intensified security operations after the October 19 Khongbal killings of three civilians at Sunulok Hill which left three other civilians injured.
Earlier, the CRPF, CoBRA, BSF, Assam Rifles and Manipur Police arrested three suspected Kuki militants at Phailenkot in connection with the attack. Two of the arrested individuals reportedly admitted to being part of the assault team, while the role of the third remained under investigation, according to Manipur Police.
Security forces subsequently reported recovering 12 firearms, 1,095 rounds of ammunition and a cache of explosives during the intensified operations. Police said the recoveries were made based on disclosures by the accused.