IT News
Imphal, Dec 18:
The proscribed militant group PREPAK has accused the Manipur Police of fabricating stories and resorting to falsehoods following the police’s recent claims on the death of Laishram Prem and arrest of six village volunteers. During a press briefing at the Thoubal SP Conference Hall on December 17, 2024, Manipur Police DIG Jogeshchandra Haobijam announced the killing of one individual and the arrest of six others, alleging them to be members of PREPAK.
PREPAK refuted these claims, denying any affiliation with the deceased or the arrested individuals. The police alleged that Laishram Prem, also known as Loktak, an 18-year-old from Thoubal Khounou, was a PREPAK member and was killed near Salungfam High School on December 14, 2024, around 9:30 AM. However, PREPAK condemned the killing, asserting that Prem had no ties to their organization.
The police further claimed to have arrested six individuals, identifying them as members of PREPAK’s armed wing, the Red Army (RA). The arrested individuals hail from various locations across Manipur, including Thoubal, Kakching, and Lamphel. PREPAK, however, dismissed these allegations, stating that the arrested individuals are village volunteers who have been defending their communities in the wake of ongoing violence in the state.
PREPAK criticized the Manipur Police for failing to protect civilians during the ethnic violence that erupted on May 3, 2024, alleging that Kuki narco-terrorists have carried out genocidal attacks and ethnic cleansing. The group accused the police of targeting innocent villagers and diverting attention from their failure to address the larger crisis. PREPAK reiterated that the arrested individuals had no connection with their organization and condemned the police’s actions as oppressive and misleading.
