12 insurgents handed over by Myanmar test coronavirus negative in Manipur

Imphal/Guwahati, May 17 (IANS): Twelve of the 22 insurgents handed over by Myanmar to India on Friday tested negative for coronavirus in Manipur on Sunday, officials said.

Manipur Health and Family Welfare Department’s Additional Director Khoirom Sasheekumar Mangang confirmed that swab samples of 12 “prisoners” had tested negative.

An Assam Police official said on condition of anonymity that swab samples of Assam’s ten militants had been collected even as they were put in institutional quarantine immediately on their arrival in Guwahati on Friday.

According to security officials, these militants include self-styled home secretary of National Democratic Front of Bodoland (Songbijit faction) Rajen Daimary.

Twelve of the 22 terrorists handed over by Myanmar are linked to four insurgent groups in Manipur while the remaining 10 are associated with NDFB (S) and Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO) of Assam.

The 22 insurgents, who linked to NDFB (S), United National Liberation Front, People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (Pro), Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup, People’s Liberation Army and KLO, were brought to India on a special aircraft and handed over to Manipur and Assam police separately.

Northeastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland, and Mizoram – share 1,643-km of unfenced Indian border with Myanmar.