Manipur Police have arrested three militants belonging to a banned outfit from two separate districts for allegedly issuing threats to participants of the recently concluded Sangai Tourism Festival, a senior police officer confirmed on Friday. The arrests come days after the ten-day cultural extravaganza, named after the state’s iconic brow-antlered deer and one of Manipur’s biggest tourism events, ended on November 30 without any major security incidents despite the reported threats.
The officer said the suspects were actively involved in extortion calls and written threats aimed at festival organisers, performers, and visitors in a bid to disrupt the event. Security had been intensified across Imphal and other venue districts following intelligence inputs about possible sabotage by underground groups. Further investigation is underway to ascertain whether the arrested individuals have links with larger networks operating in the state.
