Manipur Police have rescued two minor girls from Kakching and Wangbal Laikon districts - allegedly recruited by the banned militant outfit People's Liberation Army (PLA), an official statement said on Tuesday.
A police official said the girls were rescued during a search operation on Monday. Subsequently, the rescued minor girls were produced before the Chairperson, the Child Welfare Committee in Thoubal district for further formalities.
On the same day, police also arrested two cadres of PLA from Kakching Bazaar. They were involved in recruiting the girls into the proscribed outfit, the statement said.
The arrested militants have been identified as Moirangthem Romen Singh (23) and Nongmaithem Mohendro Singh (54). One two-wheeler and two mobile sets were recovered from their possession. In addition to that, the police also arrested two militants of the banned Kangleipak Communist Party (People's War Group) outfit from Haobam Marak area in Imphal West district on Monday and seized four grenades without detonators from their possession, the statement added.
Another militant of the United People's Party of Kangleipak was also nabbed from Keirao Wangkhem area in Imphal East district on Monday, the statement added.
The militant, identified as Ningombam Bonbon Singh (45), was involved in extorting government officials, private firms and the general public, besides transporting arms and ammunition for the banned outfit.
In a separate incident, Assam Rifles in a joint operation with the police dismantled a makeshift camp of the banned militant outfit United Kuki National Army in a forest near Songphu village in Churachandpur district. Four temporary bamboo huts were set up in the camp.
The UKNA is not a signatory of the Suspension of Operations pact with the Central Government.
Normal life was affected in Kuki-Zo areas of Manipur for the third day on Tuesday due to the indefinite shutdown called by the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC), the apex body of the tribals, to protest the resumption of the bus services between the state capital Imphal and the hill districts and the police action in the tribal areas on Saturday.
Tribal leaders claimed that the indefinite shutdown was total and successful in Kangpokpi, Churachandpur, Tengnoupal, and Pherzawl districts.
"The Committee on Tribal Unity (COTU) leaders on Monday held an inconclusive meeting with the government officials about the withdrawal of the indefinite shutdown. The meeting will be held on Tuesday also," a tribal leader was reported to have said.
The COTU, which is a constituent of KZC, has been demanding the transfer of the Superintendent of Police of Kangpokpi district, the cancellation of bus services and a government apology over the killing of Lalgouthang Singsit according to customary law (with inputs from agencies).