Four NSCN(K) cadres arrested in Meghalaya

Four cadres of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland Khaplang (NSCN-K) were arrested from Meghalayas West Jaintia Hills district, police said today.

Forty-year-old Gaising Maringmei, a self-styled 'revenue' secretary of the NSCN-K was picked up on Sunday evening from Khliehtyrshi village in the district and later arrested, Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem told PTI.

Gaising's arrest led to the arrest of two other members of the militant group from their hideout in the village, the Syiem said.

The fourth NSCN member who has been acting as a courier for the outfit was arrested later in the night from a hotel in the state capital here, the SP said.

Cash Rs 2 lakh, multiple SIM cards, mobile phones and other documents and extortion notes of NSCN-K were seized from their respective places of hiding, the Syiem said.

According to the SP, the NSCN-K was carrying out extortion activities in the coal rich Jaintia hills region to procure arms and ammunition.

After his arrest, Gaising revealed that a private firm, which is having construction works in Manipur had recently paid Rs 25 Lakhs as ransom money to him, Syiem said.

Out of the ransom money, his wife had taken Rs 13 lakh to Imphal on May 13. She was arrested and the cash was seized by Manipur police who intercepted the bus, acting on the information provided by the Meghalaya police, the SP said.

The four arrested NSCN militants were produced before a court which has remanded them to police custody for four days.

The NSCN militants were charged with waging war against the country and under various sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, police said.