New Delhi: The Manipur police has charged five men arrested on Saturday for impersonating police personnel under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). After the arrest of the five men, a mob led by women vigilantes from the Meira Paibi group had attempted to storm the police station where they were being held.According to Hindustan Times, two weapons — an INSAS rifle and a self-loading rifle — and 128 rounds of ammunition recovered from the five men, all believed to be looted from police armouries in May and June this year, after the ethnic conflict in the state began.Imphal locals continue to protest against the five men’s arrests, with a complete bandh called on Tuesday. “The entire valley was under complete shutdown today [Tuesday] as called by Meira Paibis demanding the unconditional release of the five men,” an officer told HT. “This is not the lone case of militants posing as security forces. If police have arrested them with sophisticated weapons, how can they be released?”According to HT, one of the arrested men has been identified as a 45-year-old former cadre of banned insurgent outfit People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of Manipur. The newspaper reported that Moirangthem Anand Singh, who is also a member of the Kangleipak Communist Party (Noyon), a banned militant outfit, has been detained under the National Security Act in the past.The other four arrested are Keisham Johnson (35), Konthoujam Romojit Meitei (28), Loukrakpam Michael Mangangcha (30) and Athokpam Kajit (39).“Not all people posing as security personnel by wearing military uniforms and indulging in violence are common citizens,” HT quoted an officer as saying.Manipur has been witnessing severe ethnic violence since May 3, with about 200 people having lost their lives. Looting of weapons from police armouries has been a common occurrence during the violence.
