IMPHAL, Sept 24: A combined team of the Bishnupur district police along with the 32 Battalion CRPF reportedly rescued one pump operator of NHPC, Loktak from the clutches of armed abductors yesterday.
A press conference was held in this connection at the office chamber of SP, Bishnupur district. Briefing media persons the SP, Th. Radhesyam, informed that a complaint was filed at the OC Loktak Police station by one Saratkumar Singh manager (civil) Loktak Power Station that SH. Gouramani operator of NHPC, Loktak who was on duty near the Pump house has been kidnapped at gun point by about six armed miscreants around 10 pm on September 22.
On receiving the report a combined team of Bishnupur Police and 32 CRPF, Loktak launched a joint operation from 6 am of September and lasted till 7pm the same day, he said.
On establishing that the abducted operator has been taken hostage by the Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF) and kept confined in and around Chaiba village, about 8 kms from Loktak Police station, the combined forces rushed to the area where they were fired upon by the abductors however there was no human casualties in the attack.
The abducted pump operator was rescued unharmed by the combined team later.
During the rescue operation the joint force also manages to arrest one cadre of ZUF while the others managed to escape taking advantages of the darkness, said the SP.
The arrested individual is identified as one Poulani Gangmei, 21, s/o Kaninglung Gangmei of Khoupum Satudai, Tamenglong district. The co-accused who escaped manages to escape has been identified as one s/s Kenedy Kamei of Lungjang, s/s 2nd Lt. George Riangmei of Touseng and Lungaingam Kamei.
Further the SP informed that the Bishnupur police have successfully arrested atleast 60 militant cadres including two arm dealers and huge amount of arms and ammunitions during counter insurgency operation launched by the district police since April 1 bringing down the crimes rates sharply in the district.
He revealed that of the total arrested militant cadres 13 are from PREPAK, 26 KCP, one NNC, 9 UNLF, 5 PLA, 4 KYKL.
The recovered items includes one M-16 Rifles along with Magazines containing ammunitions, an AK-Rifle, two 9 mm pistol, two 7.65 pistol, three Chinese made hand grenades and two Indian made grenades, he said.
He further maintained that round the clock security measures have been deployed in the entire area where migrant workers are residing in the wake of the recent serial killing of two non-local migrant workers.
