Three members of the banned Kangleipak Communist Party were arrested on December 5 in Phayeng, Imphal West, as a result of a combined operation by the Manipur police and the Central Reserve Police Force. One country-made 9mm pistol with four live bullets was taken from them by the security guards. Additional damning materials, including a demand letter and a workshop for producing illicit weapons, were found after a more thorough investigation of their hiding places in Kangchup.
The police claim that the individuals engaged in extortion. The names of the people who were arrested were Laishram Langamba Meitei, Md. Abdul Matalif, and Laishram Kenjit Singh. Four members of the banned Kangleipak Communist Party from the Kakching district were previously taken into custody by the Manipur police in a different operation. According to an official announcement on December 4, the people were taken into custody on charges of extortion and illegal arms possession.
