Manipur: UKNA operative arrested in Churachandpur for extortion and kidnapping, seize weapons

In a significant crackdown on insurgency-linked activities, security forces apprehended an active member of the United Kuki National Army (UKNA) on February 18. The arrested individual, identified as Seiminlen Doungel (35) of Tuibong village under CCP-PS, Churachandpur District, was allegedly involved in extortion, kidnapping, weapon smuggling, and drug trafficking across the Indo-Myanmar border on behalf of the UKNA.

Authorities recovered several incriminating items from Doungel’s possession, including multiple identification documents, bank cards, and a mobile phone. Additionally, a cache of firearms was seized, comprising an AK-47 rifle with a magazine, a .315 rifle (suspected to have been looted from a gun shop), another .315 rifle with a magazine, a single-barrel country-made firearm, and 23 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition.

Simultaneously, security forces conducted extensive search operations in the vulnerable regions of hill and valley districts to curb militant activities. During the operation at Irong village under Nongpok Sekmai-PS, Thoubal District, security personnel recovered a substantial arms cache, which included an SLR rifle with a magazine, a 5.56 rifle, four high-explosive (HE) hand grenades, a Chinese hand grenade, five rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, tear smoke shells, green smoke grenades, and two Baofeng radio sets with accessories.