Silchar, June 4: Security forces have claimed to have cracked down on the Mansami National Christian Army (MNCA), a nascent tribal outfit comprising Hmar youths active in Churachandpur district of Manipur and Cachar in south Assam in a three-day joint offensive.

The operation that began on Monday was carried out in two phases — near a Shiva temple in Bhuban Hills in the Tezpur hill range in Sonai block of Cachar and Churachandpur, located nine and 24km respectively from this town.

The outfit based in Churachandpur, a bastion of Hmar tribals, was launched on March 16 this year.

What has given a new dimension to its activity is its religious orientation.

The MNCA that aims at spreading the hegemony of the Christians in Cachar district, recently desecrated the Shiva temple by roughing up Ramayan Das and Rajkumar Singh, the two priests who filed a case against the militants.

The attack drew sharp criticism from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad.

Army sources said eight cadres of the outfit were picked up in two phases last night. .The arrested include Lalthupui Pampi, 33, Ramvhhung, 30, Ramchouand, 29, Derepian, 53, Leirikham, 29, Sansumanga, 31, Lalmalswam, 29 and Rimni, 30.

Pampi, the self-styled commander of the outfit, is from Langthuli village of Tipaimukh in Manipur, police said last night.

The 5 Assam Rifles Battalion, that coordinated the operation with police and the CRPF, handed them over to Sonai police around 8 last night.

Two rifles, a pistol, some bullets, four Bibles and eight jackets bearing the Cross were seized.

Bodies found

Suspected militants shot dead two persons, believed to be employees of a construction company, this afternoon in Bishnupur district, our correspondent reports from Imphal.

Police said the victims were brought in a jeep and shot dead near a canal between Leimram and Irengbam village under Nambol police station at 4pm.

The victims are yet to be identified.

The police found an identity card issued in the name of Md Tomba, 42, a resident of Jiribam in Imphal East and driver of a truck belonging to Ansal Construction Ltd, stoking suspicion that the body could be that of Tomba.

The company is constructing the Maphou dam over the Thoubal river at the tri-junction of Imphal East, Ukhrul and Thoubal districts.

The police suspect the other victim could be a migrant and worker of the construction company.

The police found a piece of paper that reads: “If the Indian occupational forces kill our innocent people we will also kill their kind.”