In a noteworthy development in Manipur, security personnel staged a successful operation in Thoubal and Imphal East districts on Saturday. The operation led to the arrest of five militants three of whom were women a rare detail underscoring evolving dynamics in local insurgent activity.

According to official reports, the detained individuals include Konjengbam Babita (45), Lisham Premika Devi (33), Nandeibam Noni Devi (53), and Heikham Ravi Meitei (38), all linked to the proscribed Kangleipak Communist Party (Taibanganba) faction. Additionally, Chabungbam Kenedy Singh (21), connected to the PREPAK (PRO) outfit, was apprehended from Imphal East.

The arrests were accompanied by the recovery of arms and ammunition, although authorities have chosen not to disclose detailed specifics about the cache. This restraint may reflect a delicate security environment where operations are ongoing, or where revealing too much might compromise tactical intelligence.

The inclusion of female militants in this haul signals a possible shift in recruitment patterns by insurgent groups in the region. It also challenges conventional portrayals of these networks as male-dominated. Analysts suggest this may be a tactical adaptation hiding under the radar or leveraging sociocultural assumptions that women are less likely to face scrutiny.

Beyond that, this operation underscores the resolve of security agencies to act swiftly upon intelligence leads. Collaborations among local police, paramilitary forces, and intelligence networks seem to be bearing fruit in recent weeks, further evidenced by a series of earlier coordinated crackdowns across Imphal valley.

As investigations continue, authorities are expected to probe the arrested individuals’ roles whether in recruitment, extortion, arms procurement, or planning violent activities to dismantle their organizational links more effectively.

The arrests mark a critical milestone in Manipur’s ongoing battle against insurgency, emerging as a glint of hope for stability in a region long shadowed by unrest.