IMPHAL | Manipur Police on Thursday dismissed as “fake and misleading” a social media claim that CRPF personnel had arrested Tangkhul cadres allegedly linked to the NSCN-IM for carrying out illegal extortion along National Highway 37. In a post on X, the police said the person referred to in the claim was arrested with a pistol, cash and a communication set.

The accused was subsequently remanded to police custody after an FIR was registered, it said. The clarification came after an X account, The Proud Indian, claimed that CRPF personnel had apprehended Tangkhul cadres associated with the NSCN-IM while they were allegedly involved in extortion and unauthorised collection of money along the Jiribam-Imphal stretch of NH-37.

The post further alleged that the security personnel were later forced to release the individual after a large gathering of women confronted them, with some allegedly attempting to assault the personnel and obstruct their duties. Manipur Police rejected the allegations, calling the social media post “fake and misleading”. The police also warned that legal action would be taken against individuals and social media handles found deliberately spreading false or misleading information with the intent of creating public unrest.

The police statement did not disclose the identity of the arrested person or provide further details about the circumstances leading to the arrest. The development comes amid heightened security concerns along NH-37, a key road corridor linking Imphal with Jiribam and the wider Barak Valley, with allegations of extortion and unauthorised collections remaining a sensitive issue in the region.