Two women said to be members of a banned insurgent group were arrested in Manipur for allegedly abducting three minor boys with the aim of recruiting them into the outfit. The arrest took place in Thoubal district, police said on Wednesday.According to police, the two accused women belong to the banned People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak, also known as PREPAK. They were picked up from the Khangabok area on Monday after an investigation was launched into the disappearance of the children. The three minors had gone missing from Kakching Khunou Ngaikhong Leikai in Kakching district on Sunday. This led to a complaint, following which police teams started tracing their movement and questioning people in the nearby areas.
Police later found the three boys at Uchiwa Awang Leikai in Imphal West district. The children were rescued safely and handed over to their parents after formalities. A car suspected to have been used in the kidnapping was also recovered during the operation.A senior police officer said further investigation is going on and efforts are being made to identify and arrest other people who may have been involved. Security forces have also stepped up checks and search operations in different parts of the state. Manipur has been witnessing ongoing unrest since ethnic violence broke out in May 2023 between Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities. The clashes have resulted in more than 260 deaths and the displacement of thousands of residents.
Following the continuing unrest, President’s Rule was imposed in the state after Chief Minister N. Biren Singh resigned from his post. The Manipur Assembly remains under suspended animation, even though its term is valid until 2027.Police said they are treating the case of child abduction and attempted recruitment very seriously, especially in view of the fragile law and order situation in the state.
