Security forces arrested seven militants belonging to two proscribed outfits and recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition in separate operations carried out across Tengnoupal, Kangpokpi, and Imphal East districts, police said on Tuesday.

In Tengnoupal district, three active cadres of the banned Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) were apprehended near Border Pillar 79 at Pangal Basti on Sunday. The arrested individuals have been identified as Khumanthem Umakanta Singh (36), Pukhrambam Naoton Singh (22), and Soibam Bargil Meitei (23).

On Monday, four active members of the proscribed United People’s Party of Kangleipak (UPPK) were arrested from Koirengei Chingol Leikai in Imphal East district. They have been identified as Nishan Ngangbam (24), Laishangbam Roshan Singh (35), Chungkham Kiran Meitei (21), and Chandam Ratan Meitei (41).

Police said that intelligence-based combing operations, along with cordon and search drives, are being intensified across the state to curb extortion and other criminal activities.

Meanwhile, in two separate search operations conducted on Monday in the general areas of Tingkai Khullen, Maohing, and Changoubung villages in Kangpokpi district, security forces recovered a significant cache of arms and ammunition.

The recovered items include one INSAS rifle with magazine, one .303 rifle, a T/Sight with magazine, one locally made lathode, one .32 pistol with magazine, four locally made bolt action rifles, one M16 rifle, one MA1 assault rifle, one sniper rifle, one .32 bore pistol, seven single-barrel rifles, four additional bolt-action rifles, and other firearms.

Additionally, more than 50 rounds of ammunition, four hand grenades, and several lathode shells were also seized during the operations.