The PULF is a Muslim-based rebel group from Manipur.

Last year, three militants of the outlawed People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) of Manipur, and three of their associates were arrested in Bangalore.

The PREPAK members were arrested from their rented house in Kaggadasapura, about 15 km from the city centre. Their associates were picked up from another house in the nearby Mahadevapura area.

'Militants from the northeast travel to south India to cool their heels when security offensive in the region gathers momentum. Now police and intelligence agencies have unravelled the modus operandi of the militants,' a senior police official in Manipur said.

Intelligence sources said apart from Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai are two other destinations for northeastern rebel groups, though they declined to give details.

(Syed Zarir Hussain can be contacted at zarir.h@ians.in)