Five UNKA cadres held with arms, opium near Manipur-Myanmar border

Imphal: Assam Rifles and Manipur Police arrested five cadres of the proscribed United National Kuki Army (UNKA), along with a cache of sophisticated weapons, ammunition, and opium, in a joint operation in Manipur's Churachandpur district bordering Myanmar.

Officials reported that, acting on specific intelligence that UNKA leaders were attempting to recruit youngsters, the joint team was on alert at a vulnerable location along the Manipur-Myanmar border.

During the operation, five active cadres of the UNKA were captured from the Songkot village area in Henglep Sub-Division, Churachandpur district, on Thursday, officials said on Saturday.

Of the five arrested, the police released the names of four cadres while withholding the identity of one, a juvenile.

All are residents of Churachandpur district.

The identified cadres are Kamgoulen (23) of K. Phaijang village, Lhunkholen Singson (26) of Bolkot village, and Khaiginpau (37) of S. Bualkot village.

Another cadre from K. Phaijang village was also among those arrested, but his identity was not disclosed.

The juvenile was intercepted before being fully inducted into the insurgent group and was later handed over to his family.

In the operation, which lasted around four hours, the team recovered one M79 grenade launcher with three bombs, two 9mm pistols with five rounds, eight radio sets with four chargers, eight pairs of jungle shoes, three kilograms of opium seeds, and three mobile phones.

Further investigation is underway to trace the associates of those arrested and other members of the group.

The UNKA is not a party to the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement.

Under the SoO, the Ministry of Home Affairs signed a peace pact with 25 Kuki underground groups operating along the Manipur-Myanmar border.

The UNKA, however, is demanding a separate nation carved out of India and Myanmar.