The PLA rebels after their arrest on Tuesday. Picture by UB Photos

Guwahati, June 7: Security forces here arrested seven suspected members of Manipur-based rebel outfit People’s Liberation Army (PLA) during a joint operation in the wee hours on Tuesday.

According to police here, the seven were taking shelter in the city and were planning to carry out subversive acts during the current session of the Assam Assembly. However, the arrested persons said they were in the city to attend a marriage and had no links with any militant group.

Police sources here said based on intelligence inputs, a joint team of city police, the army and the 128 battalion of CRPF launched an operation and first arrested L. Irabot Singh, 52, Sadikpam Kunjabihari, 52, Alom Shaphaba Mangageha, 33, L. Modhu Singh,54, and L. Joy Chandra from Rangoli apartment in the city’s Christianbasti area. They later arrested two others — Higana Ngaobram Singh, 41, and K. Dini Singh, 35, from Mathuranagar. The police said Joy Chandra was a second lieutenant in the outfit.

Five mobile handsets and SIM cards were recovered from their possession.

“Intelligence inputs said they had subversive plans during the Assembly session but we are interrogating them thoroughly to get details,” a police source said.

One of the arrested persons, Alom Shaphaba Mangageha, said, “I have been working as an English teacher in a school here for the last year and we were at Modhu Singh’s house last night for a marriage. Our relatives from Imphal are also here for the marriage. We do not know why we have been arrested and we have no links with any militant group.”