Assam STF arrests Manipur resident, seizes drone batteries & cash

Assam police Special Task Force (STF) on Friday arrested a person from Manipur and recovered flight batteries suspected to be used in drones, cash amount and other items. The intelligence suggested that a Manipur-based banned organization was attempting to procure equipment potentially for sabotage activities.

Police said that the STF personnel acting on a tip-off intercepted a vehicle at Sonapur Toll Gate in Guwahati on National Highway-27 and apprehended Khaigoulen Kipgen, a resident of Gamngai village in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district and he was traveling with two minors.

Ten TB30 intelligent flight batteries suspected to be used in drones, a cash amount of Rs 3.40 lakh, four pairs of shoes and a mobile handset, were recovered from the vehicle.

“The confiscation of these items, particularly the drone batteries, underscores the clandestine efforts by certain banned organisations in Manipur to procure drones for illicit activities. The STF is conducting necessary formalities and further investigations are underway,” an official statement said.

Police suspect that Kipgen might be associated with a Manipur based banned militant organisation.

Meanwhile, earlier the NIA and CBI arrested many people, associated with underground outfits in Manipur, for conducting blasts, placing explosive devices in strategic locations, procuring explosives and arms from Myanmar in association with other militant outfits.