Security forces recover 90 arms in Manipur

Security forces recovered 90 arms and around 728 different types of ammunition in yet another joint operation in restive Manipur on Saturday.
Saturday’s recovery made in the valley districts of the state is another major breakthrough of the security forces in the ongoing operations to disarm both the warring communities within one and a half months.
The latest recovery was during a simultaneous search operation in the peripheral and suspected areas of Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal, Kakching, and Bishnupur districts, said state police IGP (Zone-2) K Kabib at a news conference held at Manipur police headquarters in Imphal today.
Among the seized items were three AK series rifles, one M16, five INSAS rifles, one INSAS light machine gun, four SLRs, 20 pistols, four carbines, seven .303 rifles, eight other rifles, and additional firearms.
A total of 728 rounds of ammunition, 21 grenades, six improvised explosive devices (IEDs), 21 assorted magazines, and 24 wireless handsets were also seized during the operations, he claimed. The simultaneous operation was launched acting on specific intelligence inputs about concealed caches of arms and ammunition in the peripheral areas across the five valley districts, he said.
Joint teams of Manipur police, CRPF, BSF, ITBP, Army and Assam Rifles launched the simultaneous search operations, he added.
In a statement distributed during the news conference, the state police reaffirmed its commitment to restoring peace and security in the state while urging the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities or information related to illegal arms to the nearest police station or Central Control Room.
The senior police officer said that they remain in close coordination with all security agencies to ensure the continuity of such focused operations aimed at maintaining law and order and safeguarding lives and property across Manipur.
Saturday’s arms recovery is the fourth instance of major seizure of arms and ammunition in the ongoing operations to recover arms looted from the state police armouries and illegal arms in the possessions of the miscreants within one and a half months.
On July 15, 86 arms and around 974 different types of ammunition were recovered during joint simultaneous operations across the five valley districts — Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal, Bishnupur, and Kakching.
The security forces in another joint operation on July 4 last also recovered 203 arms, mostly sophisticated and around 160 different types of ammunition from four hill districts — Tengnoupal, Kangpokpi, Chandel, and Churachandpur.
Earlier on June 14, a total of 328 arms and around 9,300 different types of ammunition were recovered from five valley districts — Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal, Bishnupur, and Kakching.
The state police along with the security forces have been conducting search operations and area domination in the fringe and vulnerable areas across violent-affected districts across the restive state.
Earlier in the day, attending the Kargil Diwas observance in Imphal, Manipur police chief Rajiv Singh said that the state police along with the Central armed forces and sister agencies were conducting “determined operations” to restore law and order in the ethnic strife state.
He asserted that Manipur has a proud legacy of contributing brave sons and daughters to the armed forces and police and their martial spirit is alive today in collective efforts to preserve peace and order.
The efforts of the state police have resulted in recovery of thousands of looted arms and large quantities of ammunition and explosives from hills and valley districts, he claimed.
Singh also said that regular patrolling and domination of vulnerable zones were being conducted to prevent clashes and maintain peace.
Asserting anti-socials, armed elements and miscreants have been arrested and consignments of drugs and narcotics have been seized by the police and security forces, he said.
An uninterrupted supply of essential items and commodities to the people and security to the farmers are also being ensured, the DGP added.