Inside Manipur’s DIY arsenal: How Meitei and Kuki militants are turning looted guns into sniper rifles, cannons

The evolution of weapon-making in Manipur’s conflict zones signals a shift from street-level clashes to tactical, long-range warfare.

In the simmering ethnic conflict between the Meiteis and Kukis, insurgent groups in Manipur are doing more than exchanging gunfire, they’re reengineering warfare itself. Security agencies have flagged a disturbing trend: looted police weapons are being modified into makeshift sniper rifles, and electric poles are being turned into cannons, according to a PTI report.

Officials told PTI that several of the over 6,000 weapons looted from police armouries in 2023, including AK-series, INSAS and .303 rifles, are now being converted into high-precision sniper rifles. These modifications are designed to enhance both range and lethality, allowing attackers to target rival communities from afar.

A standard .303 rifle has a kill range of 500 metres. But with a modified butt, scope, and stabilisation, the same gun can shoot farther and deadlier, officials said.

Even AK-47s, known for their effectiveness in close-range combat (within 300–400 metres), are being tweaked for distance warfare, signalling an intent to prolong and escalate armed confrontations between communities.

Security forces step in

Before these modified rifles could shift the balance of violence, a coordinated crackdown across the Imphal Valley and adjoining hills in June and July 2025 led to massive arms recoveries.

On the night of June 13–14, 328 weapons were seized from Meitei-dominated areas. In early July, 203 arms were recovered from Kuki-controlled hill districts.

The confiscated weapons included:

• Modified sniper rifles
• AK-series rifles
• INSAS rifles
• Self-Loading Rifles (SLRs)
• Grenade launchers
• Pistols
• Country-made .22 rifles

Security agencies believe these recoveries averted a dangerous escalation in inter-community violence.

From electric poles to indigenous cannons

The ingenuity doesn’t stop with firearms. In the wake of the June 2023 clashes, residents in hill districts, traditionally hunters, began crafting indigenous weapons using electric poles and water pipes.

These makeshift cannons, known locally as 'pumpi' or 'bampi,' are:

Made from uprooted electric poles or GI pipes

Packed with scrap metal acting as pellets

Charged with electricity

Operated remotely due to risk of explosion

Crafted by local blacksmiths, 'Thih-Kheng Pa,' who often work voluntarily, these weapons reflect the community’s shift from traditional spears and arrows to dangerous improvised ordnance.

“These are not just weapons. They’re part of a survival strategy rooted in guerrilla warfare traditions,” one security official said.

The evolution of weapon-making in Manipur’s conflict zones signals a shift from street-level clashes to tactical, long-range warfare.

With local expertise fuelling homegrown arms innovation, the threat is no longer limited to looted guns, it’s what’s being made out of scrap.

Security officials warn that without sustained disarmament and peace-building efforts, the situation could spiral into a self-sustaining cycle of improvised militarisation.