16 arms, 70 ammunition and 16 explosives recovered in 24 hours in Manipur: Police

Police said that a total of 127 checkpoints were set up in different districts of Manipur, both in the hill and the valley, to check the movement of vehicles and harmful elements

Security forces in Manipur recovered 16 arms, 70 ammunition and 16 explosives in the last 24 hours in search operations in fringe and vulnerable areas of five districts, including Imphal-East, Imphal-West, Kakching, Thoubal, Kangpokpi and Bishnupur districts , police said.

The police and security forces have so far recovered over 1100 arms and over 15,000 ammunitions from different areas in the strife-torn state (Twitter/@manipur_police)

“During the last 24 hours, the situation in the state was tense with sporadic incidents of firing and congregation of protestors,” Manipur Police said in a press release on Saturday.

Police said that a total of 127 checkpoints were set up in different districts of Manipur, both in the hill and the valley, to check the movement of vehicles and harmful elements. Moreover, 2,257 people were detained in connection with violations in different districts across the state, said police.

Regarding the inflow of supplies, it said, “Movement of 153 vehicles on NH-37 with essential items have been ensured. Strict security measures are taken up in all vulnerable locations, and a security convoy is provided in sensitive stretches in order to ensure free and safe movement of the vehicles.”

Meanwhile, curfew has been relaxed from 5am to 6pm in Imphal West, Imphal East, and Bishnupur districts. There is no curfew in six other hill districts.

Manipur had been witnessing ethnic violence between Kuki and Meitei communities since the first week of May, in which over 160 people have been killed so far over 50,000 people displaced besides burning a number of villages and localities.

Since the violent clashes began, mobs have stormed police stations and armouries and have looted around 4,000 weapons and 500,000 rounds of ammunition.

Police and security forces in Manipur have launched a full-scale operation for the recovery of all arms and ammunition that were looted, to prevent further violence.

The police and security forces have so far recovered over 1100 arms and over 15,000 ammunitions from different areas in the strife-torn state. Most of the arms and ammunition were recovered from the valley districts.