Guwahati: Amid the possibility of an extension of President’s rule and a section of MLAs and political leaders demanding a popular govt in the strife-torn state, senior IAS officer Puneet Kumar Goel arrived in Imphal on Sunday to assume charge as the new chief secretary of Manipur. An officer of the 1991 batch of the AGMUT cadre, Goel will replace Prashant Kumar Singh, who was transferred as Manipur chief secretary just before the imposition of President’s rule earlier in the year. Goel had been posted as secretary of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, prior to which he served as Goa chief secretary.“Shri Puneet Kumar Goel, IAS — a distinguished officer of the 1991 batch from the AGMUT cadre — arrived in Imphal today to officially assume charge as the chief secretary of Manipur,” the Manipur airport authority informed through its social media handle on Sunday.Appointed by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) on July 16, Goel assumes charge at a critical time, as Manipur continues to face complex challenges amid ongoing unrest, officials said.Goel was accorded a warm welcome at Imphal airport by senior officials, dignitaries from the state govt and administration and members of the airport team.Meanwhile, cadres belonging to various banned militant outfits were arrested even as arms and ammunition were recovered despite efforts to restore peace in the state. Manipur Police on Saturday night informed about the arrest of four militants of different banned outfits from Imphal East and West districts.An active cadre of UPPK, Yumnam Prem Meitei (23), was arrested from Kangla Pat in Imphal West on Saturday. Another militant cadre from KCP (PWG) was apprehended from the parking area of Polo Ground in Imphal West on Friday. A cadre, Nanaoh (43), was arrested for his involvement in extortion, police said. “He (Nanaoh) also mediated between groups in matters related to crime against women by means of criminal intimidation and kangaroo courts,” a police statement said.Further, an active cadre of PREPAK was also arrested from Seijang Awang Leikai in Imphal East on Saturday, while another active cadre of the People’s Liberation Army, Mutum Norin Meitei (33), was nabbed from Napet village in Imphal East district on the same day.Police said security forces recovered a .303 rifle, a country-made .32 pistol, one country-made single-barrel rifle, two improvised mortars (pumpi), an improvised rocket bomb, three improvised hand grenades, 21 tear smoke shells, cartridges, and other items from Lamzang village in Churachandpur district on Saturday.
