Another member of Manipur-based terror outfit held

NEWDELHI: Delhi Police arrested a man who they said was a member of Manipur-based terrorist outfit, Kangleipak Communist PartyPeople’s War Group (KCP-PWG), from Bishnupur in Manipur on Tuesday. The arrest comes days after the suspected commander of the outfit was nabbed in Delhi.

His transit remand was secured from a local court and he is being brought to Delhi, police said on Saturday.

Police said 37-year-old Moirangthem Rana Pratap alias Paikhomba, believed to be the general secretary of KCP-PWG, was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly threatening and extorting businessmen and influential people. He was also wanted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in a case registered against him under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in 2017. The NIA had announced an award of ₹2 lakh for his arrest.

Deputy commissioner of police (special cell) Sanjeev Kumar Yadav said Paikhomba was also wanted for allegedly threatening to kill Manipur’s chief minister and his three cabinet ministers, a case regarding which was registered in Manipur last month.

“The outfit’s commander, Oinam Lbochouba Singh alias Khoirangba, was arrested from south Delhi on August 28 in the same case,” said Yadav, adding Khoirangba and Paikhomba had allegedly circulated an audio message on social media with threats to kill Manipur CM Nongthombam Biren Singh and three ministers.

Police said Paikhomba was nabbed on the basis of information gathered during the interrogation of Khoirangba, who disclosed that he had come to Delhi to set up their outfit’s base in the Capital. “Paikhomba is involved in several terrorist related activities and extortion cases in Manipur. He was negotiating to surrender but simultaneously continued carrying on his antinational activities,” Yadav said.