IMPHAL, April 3: The Manipur Police have apprehended five individuals involved in unauthorized stone quarrying operations at Lungthar village in Thoubal District on Wednesday.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Wairokpam Somorjit Meitei (28), Keisham Sumonanda Meitei (26), Haobam Naocha Singh (19), Md. Rami Khan (41), and Md. Abir Khan (35).
Several vehicles present at the site were also seized during the operation conducted on Wednesday (April 2). Police confiscated three Tata Dumper Hyva trucks and a JCB, thereby halting the illegal extraction activities at the site.
According to local sources, illegal stone quarrying activities had been ongoing in the area for a significant period, leading to detrimental environmental impacts. The police are conducting further investigations and actively working to identify other individuals involved in the illegal quarrying operations.
The Manipur government has reiterated its commitment to taking stringent measures against illegal mining activities.
On April 2, security forces also conducted search operations and area domination exercises in the fringe and vulnerable areas of hill and valley districts in Manipur.
The operation, focused on Mollum village and its surrounding areas in Churachandpur District, resulted in the seizure of two Baofeng handheld radio sets and one bulletproof (BP) jacket with protective plates. The search was part of ongoing efforts to maintain security and stability in the region.
In a separate operation, carbines, magazines, and live ammunition were seized from Khangabok Loukol in Thoubal district. Security forces arrested three individuals, including two militants, during a series of operations launched across the state on April 2.
