Imphal, Feb 7 NNN: Villagers of Itham Moirangpurel in Imphal East district caught four Kuki Liberation Army (KLA) militants, who were allegedly extorting money from trucks. A team of BSF personnel took him away .
\nThe incident occurred at around 12:30 pm at the village of Itham Moirangpurel under Lamlai police station when four cadres of KLA, which is also a signatory to the Suspension of Operation (SoO) involving both the State and Central Governments, were manhandled by a mob while they were extorting money which they called \u201cannual tax\u201d from sand loaded trucks by issuing KLA receipts.
\nThe irate mob handed the four militants to the 13th Battalion of BSF, station at the Dollaithabi hill range near the village before they were severely thrashed. The BSF later handed them over to Lamlai police station.
\nThe extortionists KLA (Lulun group) militants were identified as Hopo, 24, from Changingpokpi village, Helin, 23 from Aigyang village near Sawongbung, Sunboy L J Soupo, 35 from Bongyang village and MNG Thang, 17, also from Aigyang village.
\nThe villagers claimed that the Kuki brothers have been living together with them since many, many years in the same village, but they (Kuki militants) have indulged in extortion for the last about two years by serving monitory notes to the Moirangpural villagers.
\n\u201cThis is not the first time that the villagers here foiled such extortion attempt, but three to four times had already happened where the villagers caught militants who tried to extort money, particularly from trucks,\u201d Moirangpurel Meira Paibi organization secretary, Kaboklei said.<\/p>\n\n