Imphal, June 26: Manipur police are keeping an eye on cellphone service providers operating in the state to prevent militants from using the network. They have also asked subscribers to report loss of cellphones or face action if the number is found being used by rebels.

According to the police, militants are using cellphones to serve extortion notice to government employees and intimidate them if they fail to meet their demands.

“We have information that militants use cellphones to establish network among their cadres and to extort money from government employees and businessmen. We have decided to check this trend,” a senior police officer said.

“We will ask the service providers to provide their services after the antecedents of the applicant is thoroughly checked,” another police officer said. Chief secretary Jarnail Singh had appealed to subscribers on Saturday to report the loss of their cellphones to the police to prevent the use of the mobile service by militants.

The move follows complaints by senior government officials that militants had called them from cellphones to demand money. Police believe that militants are getting cellphones by using fictitious names or by using names of genuine individuals.

“We have not checked the names of subscribers so far, but will do so henceforth,” a police officer said.

There are nearly five lakh cellphone users in Manipur. An applicant needs to submit a photostat copy of his identity card (of any kind) to get a mobile connection. If one cannot provide any such identity card, he is required to get his name and address attested by a gazetted officer.

Police believe that the signatures of gazetted officers are often being forged.