In a major breakthrough against insurgency-linked extortion networks, the Manipur Police have arrested a senior officer of the banned Revolutionary People’s Front/People’s Liberation Army (RPF/PLA) during a coordinated operation in Thoubal district. The arrest, carried out on September 22, is being described as one of the most significant actions in recent months against illegal financing activities that have long burdened civilians and institutions in the state. The accused, identified as Mayanglambam Kiran Singh, 47, also known by his aliases Shanti and Boipu, was apprehended from his residence at Ukhongsang Mayai Leikai. Singh, who held the rank of Sub/Sub Lieutenant in the RPF/PLA hierarchy, is believed to have been a key figure in orchestrating systematic extortion from schools, local clubs, government employees, and ordinary civilians across Thoubal district.
According to police officials, Singh’s activities not only disrupted community life but also posed a serious challenge to governance and development. From teachers forced to pay monthly “donations” to government staff coerced into parting with salaries, the extortion racket had created an atmosphere of fear. Investigators say his arrest will significantly weaken insurgent funding channels that sustain militant activities in the valley. During the operation, police recovered a mobile phone and SIM card from Singh’s possession. These items are now under forensic examination, and officials believe they may contain valuable leads about financial networks, collaborators, and instructions from higher command within the outfit.
While security agencies celebrated the breakthrough, another team of forces made a separate but equally significant seizure the same day. During routine patrols along the Sita–Tengnoupal Road, personnel intercepted an abandoned motorcycle after its rider fled on spotting the patrol. Upon inspection, they discovered approximately 120,000 World Yaba (WY) tablets, weighing nearly 13 kilograms, packed into 600 packets concealed on the two-wheeler. The contraband, a stimulant drug with high demand in cross-border trafficking routes, was carried on a Kenbo bike that has now been impounded by authorities. Officials suspect the incident is linked to a larger narcotics smuggling operation through the sensitive Tengnoupal border district, which has emerged as a major route for synthetic drugs entering India.
