Commander of Manipur’s banned outfit arrested from Capital

NEWDELHI: A 45-year-old man who police said was the commander of Manipur-based banned terrorist outfit Kangleipak Communist Party – People’s War Group (KCP-PWG) was arrested in Delhi on Tuesday. Police said he had threatened to kill Manipur’s chief minister and his three cabinet ministers.

DCP (special cell) Sanjeev Kumar Yadav said Oinam Lbochouba Singh alias Khoirangba had allegedly circulated an audio message on social media that contained threats to kill Manipur CM Nongthombam Biren Singh and three ministers.

Khoirangba was allegedly involved in several terrorist activities and extortions cases registered in Manipur, the special cell officers said.

DCP Yadav said the threat audio was circulated following agitations for the removal of Manipur University vice-chancellor, AP Pandey, by the varsity students’ union, the teachers’ association and other groups.

“In the audio message, Khoirangba threatened that if the CM and his leadership failed to address certain local issues, he and his ministers will be killed,” Yadav said.

A copy of the audio message, along with a threat letter written on KCP’S letterhead and signed by Khoirangba, had reached the CM’S office on August 11 after which the Manipur police registered a case and launched a manhunt to nab Khoirangba.

He had been hiding in Nepal for the last five years and was running the outfit from there, the DCP said.

On Tuesday, Yadav said, the special cell team received information that Khoirangba had arrived in Delhi to allegedly set up the outfit’s base here and carry out “anti-national” activities.

The team learnt that Khoirangba would reach south Delhi’s Kotla Mubarakpur to meet his associates on Tuesday.

Accordingly, a trap was laid and he was caught.

“A mobile phone seized from Khoirangba contained the threatening audio message and other incriminating audios, videos and chats. Two rail tickets were also recovered,” Yadav said.

Police said Khoirangba allegedly declared himself the chief of the outfit after its commander-inchief Laishram Ranjit Meitei and his two his key aides were arrested by the Delhi Police last year.