Manipur: Security forces carry out area domination in hill and valley districts, seize huge cache of arms and ammunition

In a concerted effort to enhance security and maintain control in the fringe and vulnerable areas of the hill and valley districts, security forces have intensified their search operations. These operations have led to substantial recoveries of arms, ammunition, and explosive devices from various districts.

In Thoubal District, particularly in the Tentha Tuwaband area, the security forces successfully seized a cache of weaponry and riot control devices. The items recovered included two single-barrel guns, two bore-barrel guns, five tear smoke shells, three 38 mm anti-riot cartridges, one dual-shell anti-riot device, and 103 cartridges of 12-bore ammunition.

Meanwhile, in the Wangoo Yellangba hill range of Kakching District, the forces discovered an improvised explosive device (IED), a double-barrel gun, a single-barrel gun, three HE-36 grenades, a detonator, two helmets, four smoke grenades, and thirty empty ammunition cases. This discovery highlights the persistent threat of explosive devices in the region.

In Gelmol Village, Bishnupur District, a more extensive arms cache was uncovered, comprising an AK rifle with a magazine, a CMG carbine, a sniper rifle, a revolver, two tube launchers, two HE-36 grenades, an empty INSAS LMG magazine, two detonators, 22 live rounds of ammunition, nine tear smoke shells, a BP helmet, two BP jackets with plates, a WT set, and an empty tear smoke ammunition box.

The Molnom Senam hills of Tengnoupal District revealed another significant seizure, where the forces recovered an AK-47 rifle with a magazine and 400 live ammunition rounds. This haul underscores the ongoing arms proliferation in the region.

Further intensifying their efforts, the security forces in Saivom Village Forest, Tengnoupal District, uncovered a wide array of weaponry and explosives. The recovery list includes a 51mm mortar, a Rifle MA–3, a Lathode, a magazine for Rifle MA-3 MK II, three 51mm mortar bombs, five Lathode grenades, a locally made Lathode, three 12-bore single-barrel guns, 159 live ammunition rounds, 21 empty cases, a Pompi (gun), three Pompi (pipes), 12 electric detonators, four detonator No. 8, six improvised explosive devices (IEDs), 16 hand grenades, a self-made mechanism, four hand-held radios with two chargers, and five BP covers (jackets).