Guwahati: The Manipur police has arrested five men for allegedly looting weapons from a police armoury while wearing army uniforms on Saturday in the violence-hit state. The men have been charged under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Official Secrets Act even as protests have erupted in Imphal demanding their release.
The five men were arrested with two rifles and over 128 rounds of ammunition that were looted from police armouries in May or June - the early days of violence in Manipur, police said.
One of the men, identified as a 45-year-old former cadre of banned insurgent outfit People's Liberation Army (PLA) of Manipur, has also been booked under the National Security Act.
On Monday, Meira Paibis, a collective of elderly tribal women, blocked several roads in Khurai and Kongba in Imphal East district, Kakwa in Imphal West district, Nambol in Bishnupur district and parts of Thoubal district demanding the release of the youths.
A mob led by the women collective had also attempted to break into the police station where the five men were being held. Several security personnel sustained injuries after police fired tear gas shells to disperse the protesters. The collective and other local organisations had called for a 48-hour statewide bandh after the men were arrested last week.
The Manipur police had in July issued a stern warning after several videos showing armed rioters black commando uniforms, stolen during the early days of the violence wearing the black uniform, were discovered. The police say that incidents of rioters wearing army-like uniforms to create distrust among the public are rising. Apart from the uniforms, armed assailants are carrying sophisticated arms looted from police armouries and using them to extort and threaten locals in an attempt to undermine peace efforts in the state, they added.
As per data shared by Manipur police, at least 175 people have been killed, 1,118 people others injured and 33 people are still missing since ethnic clashes broke out in the state on May 3.