Grenade found at RIMS director’s house, 3 rebels held in Imphal East

Guwahati: A day after two masked men fired multiple rounds targeting a children's home in Imphal West, authorities found a grenade at the residence of Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) Imphal Director G Sunilkumar Sharma in Imphal East district on Thursday morning.
The explosive was safely neutralised by a bomb disposal squad that rushed to the location after Sharma's family members alerted police at 8am.
"It was a corroded hand grenade. But security officials did not take any risk and, as per protocol, detonated it in a hilly terrain. It is presumed that such rusted grenades are utilised for intimidation by certain members of banned militant organisations for extortion," a source within Manipur's security establishment informed TOI.
Following this, police arrested three underground militants from Imphal East on Thursday for their alleged involvement in extortion. Following their interrogation, arms and ammunition were recovered from a separate location. The three operatives belong to PLA, KYKL and KCP (PWG), security sources said.
Authorities are investigating whether any of them was responsible for placing the explosive at the RIMS director's residence. Sharma was not at home when the grenade was discovered. According to security sources, KCP (PWG) operatives have predominantly been implicated in recent extortion incidents in Imphal.
On Wednesday, a 45-year-old KCP (PWG) member was arrested from Imphal West for extortion, which police sources suggest demonstrates militant groups' attempts to secure funds for sustenance. "He is involved in extortion activities by serving monetary demands/threats to govt officials in and around the Imphal area," Manipur Police said on its ‘X' handle.
Over 150 underground operatives have been arrested so far this year in Imphal East and Imphal West districts, primarily for involvement in extortion activities since Jan, with approximately 90 arrests in Imphal East, said a security source.
"From ethnic conflicts, the situation in Manipur's capital Imphal has intensified to civilian premises lacking security. Numerous commercial establishments and affluent individuals face extortion threats, despite a notable reduction in ethnic conflict casualties in Manipur, particularly following the implementation of President's Rule," a govt official told TOI.