Manipur: Security forces recover 12 arms, ammunition and 8 explosives in 24 hours

The police added that in the last 24 hours, the situation in Manipur is normal with sporadic incidents of firing and congregation of protestors

Security forces in Manipur recovered 12 arms, six ammunition and at least eight explosives in the last 24 hours in search operations in fringe and vulnerable areas of five districts –Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur, Thoubal and Churachandpur, police said.

A number of checkpoints have been installed in different districts, both in the hill and the valley (File Photo)

The Manipur police, in a press release on Saturday, also informed that apart from arms and ammunition, the security forces also recovered 27 kg of opium and arrested two persons.

“Yesterday (August 11, 2023), security forces detected 25 packets of suspected opium weighing about 27 kg and arrested two persons,” it said.

The police added that in the last 24 hours, the situation in Manipur is normal with sporadic incidents of firing and congregation of protestors.

A number of checkpoints have been installed in different districts, both in the hill and the valley, the police said, adding that as many as 1,580 people have been detained from different districts over violation.

Giving information regarding the flow of supplies to the violence-hit state, the police said, “The movement of 92 vehicles on NH-37 and 112 vehicles on NH 2 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.”

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

Mobs have stormed police stations and armouries and looted around 4,000 weapons and 500,000 rounds of amtmunition since ethnic violence between the dominant Metei and Kuki communities was triggered on May 3.

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.

Since May 3, the northeastern state has been gripped by ethnic clashes – primarily between the tribal Kukis, who reside mostly in the hill districts, and the majority Meiteis, the dominant community in Imphal valley – in which at least 152 people have died and over 50,000 have been displaced.