E-Paper
Manipur: Large cache of arms and ammunition recovered by police, security forces
Officials said such operations will continue in a sustained and focused manner to ensure the safety and security of all citizens.
Security forces have recovered 86 weapons and 974 rounds of ammunition, along with other warlike stores, during an operation across five valley districts of Manipur on Tuesday.
Inspector General of Police (Zone II), K Kabib, said a joint team of security forces carried out a series of coordinated operations across the districts in the early hours of Monday based on specific intelligence inputs regarding a large stockpile of illegal arms and warlike materials.
The operations were launched simultaneously in Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal, Kakching, and Bishnupur districts. Personnel from the Manipur Police, Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), the Army, and the Assam Rifles targeted several peripheral and high-risk areas during the operation.
The recovered arms include five AK-series rifles, three INSAS rifles, sixteen self-loading rifles (SLRs), five .303 rifles, nineteen pistols, two carbines, sixty assorted rifles, sixteen single-barrel and bore-action guns, two anti-riot guns, one joint venture protective carbine (JVPC), one double-barrel gun (DBBL), six bolt-action guns, and one two-inch mortar. In total, 86 firearms were recovered from various locations.
Security forces also seized a significant quantity of ammunition and explosives, including nine grenades, 526 rounds of 7.62 mm live ammunition, 226 rounds of 5.56 mm, 190 rounds of .303 ammunition, seven rounds of 9 mm, and four rounds of .32 mm. In addition, six high-explosive mortar shells, two tube launchers, and four improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were recovered, bringing the total count of ammunition seized to 974 rounds.
Further recoveries included 41 assorted magazines and six wireless communication handsets.
These intelligence-driven operations mark a substantial success for the Manipur Police and security forces in their ongoing efforts to curb the circulation of illegal arms and maintain public order. Officials stated that such operations will continue in a sustained and focused manner to ensure the safety and security of all citizens.
The Manipur Police reaffirmed its commitment to restoring normalcy in the state and urged the public to cooperate by promptly reporting any suspicious activity or information related to illegal arms to the nearest police station or the Central Control Room.
Over 250 individuals have lost their lives, and more than 60,000 individuals have been displaced since violence erupted in Manipur; over 6,000 weapons were looted from the state armoury.
On February 27, security forces recovered 307 weapons, of which 246 were deposited by Arambai Tengol, a Meitei group. Later, on June 14, 328 weapons and 10,600 ammunition were also recovered.
