Manipur Police detain two teenage militants en route to Myanmar border town

Manipur police intercepted two juvenile members of the banned United Tribal Volunteers group near Chakpikarong on October 18, marking a significant disruption to cross-border militant activity in Chandel district.

The apprehension occurred at Salluk, close to the Chakpikarong police station, as the underage cadres travelled from Churachandpur towards Tamu, a Myanmar border town. Authorities have not disclosed the identities of the detained juveniles, citing legal protections for minors.

The United Tribal Volunteers remains an active militant organisation in Manipur's troubled border regions, where insurgent groups have historically exploited porous international boundaries for recruitment and operations.

In a separate development, Manipur Police launched an anti-gambling operation across multiple sites in Imphal East district on October 22. Officers attached to Lamlai police station seized four Lagao betting sheets and one set of dice during the prohibition drive, which targeted illegal gambling activities in the area.

The seizure of juvenile militants underlines ongoing concerns about the recruitment of children by armed groups operating along Manipur's international frontier, whilst the gambling crackdown reflects broader efforts to enforce prohibition laws across the state.