Imphal: The Indian Army, the Assam Rifles and other security forces carried out a series of joint search and recovery operations across various districts of Manipur, that resulted in the recovery of substantial quantities of arms, ammunition and war-like stores in the first week of September. The Indian Army joined forces with the Assam Rifles, Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Manipur police for the operations.
Acting on the specific intelligence of the presence of weapons cache in certain areas, the security forces launched a joint search-cum-area sanitisation operation and two 9mm pistols with magazines, one single barrel 12mm bore and 17 locally improvised long-range mortars, one AK series rifle, one carbine machine gun, one sniper, one INSAS Rifle, three single barrel rifle, one single barrel 12mm bore gun, three pistols, six improvised mortars and war like stores.
The recovered weapons and war-like stores have been handed over to Manipur Police. Additionally, a bunker was destroyed at Molphai Tampak on September 7, 2024. In another joint operation on September 5, a team of Indian Army and Manipur Police busted an arms cache in fringe areas of Kangpokpi and Imphal East districts, recovering a total of 11 weapons, 6 pompi guns and ammunition and war-like stores.
Similarly, based on specific input with respect to the presence of insurgents and likely hideout containing a large consignment of war-like stores Assam Rifles and Manipur police launched a joint search operation in the Loiching Ridge area of Kangpokpi district of Manipur on September 7 and recovered one country made drone, one 7.62mm sniper rifle, one point 22 rifle, one single barrel rifle, one 9mm pistol, 12 single barrel rifles, two 5.56 mm Assault Rifles, one self loading rifle, one assault rifle, one improvised long-range mortar, one improvised short-range mortar with stand, grenades, ammunition and other war-like stores.
In the Bishnupur district, intelligence-based joint operations led by the Indian Army, in areas of Bunglon, Maulsang, and Vaikul Lok Nala resulted in the recovery of one Modified AK-47 rifle, three large country-made mortars (Pompi), two medium country-made mortars, one small country made mortar, five grenades along with explosives. In Kakching district, Assam Rifles and Manipur Police carried out intelligence-based operations and recovered two SLR rifles and one Raptor Pistol.
In the Thoubal district, Assam Rifles and Manipur Police received intelligence inputs indicating the presence of arms and ammunition in the general area of Tentha. The joint operation resulted in the recovery of four single-barrel shotguns, ammunition and war-like stores. FIRs have been lodged in all operations and the recovered items have been handed over to Manipur Police.
ALSO READ | Manipur violence: All schools in northeastern state to remain closed on September 9 and 10
