Assam and Manipur Police arrest two senior PLA cadres in Bishnupur ambush case

Imphal: Assam and Manipur police on Friday arrested two senior cadres of the banned People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in connection with the September 19 ambush on Assam Rifles personnel in Bishnupur district of Manipur.

The attack claimed the lives of two Assam Rifles personnel and injured five others.

The arrests, coordinated by the Crime Branch Police Station, Guwahati, have brought the total number of PLA cadres detained in the case to three, officials said.

One of the arrested, Chongtham Mahesh, also known as Momo or Amo Singh (51), is a senior PLA operative associated with the organization since 1990. Mahesh, a resident of Keishampat Leimajam Leikai in Imphal West, was apprehended in Guwahati with assistance from the Assam Crime Branch.

In a separate operation, Thongram Sadananda Singh, also called Ngachik or Purakpa (18), from Wangbal Heiruthong Leikai, Thoubal District, was arrested from his residence.

The police said the arrests were made following interrogation of Khundongbam Ojit Singh, alias Keilal (47), who was apprehended on September 24 in Kameng, Imphal West. Information from Keilal helped identify the locations of the other two PLA operatives.

Weapons and other items used in the ambush were recovered during the operations.

The cache included an A4 rifle with magazines, HK and AK rifles, an INSAS rifle, ammunition, lathode shells, and personal items such as a mobile phone, wallet, and Aadhaar card.