‘Commander’ of Manipur’s banned terror outfit arrested

Was trying to set up base in Delhi; involved in many terrorist activities, extortion

Oinam Ibochouba Singh at the police headquarters on Wednesday in New Delhi.

Delhi Police Special Cell claimed to have arrested commander and acting chairman of banned terrorist organisation Kangleipak Communist Party – People’s War Group Oinam Ibochouba Singh alias Khoirangba.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Sanjeev Kumar Yadav said the arrest was made in south-east Delhi’s Kotla Mubarakpur on Tuesday following a tip off. “He is involved in many terrorist activities and extortion cases in Manipur. He was trying to set up base in Delhi to carry out his anti-national activities,” Mr. Yadav said.

Manipur varsity conflict

The police claimed the accused had issued death threats to Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh and other Ministers on August 11 over the Manipur University conflict. “The threats were made on social media threatening him [the Manipur CM] that if the leadership failed to resolve the issues within a month, the CM along with other Ministers would be targeted and killed,” Mr. Yadav said, adding that a case was registered at Imphal West police station. The students and teachers of Manipur University had demanded removal of University Chancellor A.P. Pandey.

The police said the accused had been living in Nepal for the last five years to evade arrest. Khoirangba was also arrested by the Assam Police in 2010 under the provisions of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and remained in jail for around one month. “He extorted money from different government authorities, local businessmen and private schools by sending them threatening demand letters through over ground workers [OGWs] in Manipur,” Mr. Yadav said.

He added that the OGWs collected extortion money from the victims and distributed it between different offices of the banned outfit. Some of money was also received by the accused. While the police claimed the accused used to come to Delhi to raise funds and procure arms and ammunition, Mr. Yadav refused to share information on the plans to set up base in Delhi.

The police said that KCP-PWG was formed in January 2016 by a combined group of KCP-Poirei faction, KCP-Tamnganba faction and KCP-Paikhomba faction under the chairman of Laishram Ranjit Meetei who was arrested by Special Cell in January 2017. The accused allegedly took over thereafter.