IMPHAL, May 11 � In a major breakthrough, Manipur Police commandos claimed to have averted bomb explosion plans in connection with the Union Home Minister P Chidambaram�s visit to the State last night.
Imphal West district police commandos units under the supervision of Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) AK Jhaljit Singh made the major breakthrough by arresting two cadres of proscribed People�s Liberation Army (PLA) besides recovering a huge cache of explosives while conducting extensive combing operation and cordon search in Kwakeithel area in Manipur�s Imphal West district few hours after the arrival of Home Minister around 10 last night.
�We�ve averted a major bomb explosion plan by our unit�s timely intervention�, ASP AK Jhaljit Singh briefing the media at the commando unit here said. �We�ve arrested two PLA cadres and recovered various arms and ammunitions including 2.2 kilogram of explosives (Tri-Nitro-Toluene)�.
The arrested �untrained� PLA cadres � M Bheigya alias Chaoba (55) of Kwaktiehl Laishram Leikai and P Brojen alias Koba (50) of Kwakeithel Moirangpurel Leikai, both in Imphal west district, and the recovered arms and ammunitions were displayed before media here on Wednesday afternoon.
The other recovered items included one 9 mm pistol with a magazine and 25 live rounds, 3 Chinese handgrenades with two detonators, one each of electric detonators, wireless set, mobile handset, two identity cards, including a tourist accreditation card and Electricity department employee card in the name of one A Chaoba.
From their disclosure, it has come to light that both the arrested persons were working under one self-styled sergeant Robertson of PLA who had handed over the explosives to them to ambush security force and planning for huge blast or to cause major casualty during the home minister�s visit.
�We came to know that Bheigya used to communicate with top leaders of the outfit who were residing at Guwahati and Myanmar �and work out according to their free will,� the police officer claimed. He (Bheigya) also claimed to have been serving as Switch Board Attendant in state electricity department under a fake name of A Chaoba.
In another follow-up operation at Kodompokpi Maning Leikai area, the police team also recovered five handgrenades from the residence of one T Manglemchandra(23) who is an active member of PREPAK.
