Large cache of arms and ammunition, including 300 rifles, found in 5 Manipur districts

Over 300 rifles among arms, ammunition recovered by security forces in Manipur

Joint teams of the Manipur Police, Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), and the Indian Army have found a large cache of arms and ammunition in five Imphal valley districts in Manipur.

An official said that the teams found the ammunition in a joint intelligence-based operation on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday.

Among the items seized were 151 SLR rifles, 65 INSAS rifles, 73 other rifles, five carbine guns, two MP5 guns, 12 light machine guns, six AK series rifles, two Amogh rifles, one mortar, six pistols, one AR-15 and two flare guns, the official further said, as per a report by news agency Press Trust of India.

The Additional Director General of Police Lhari Dorjee Lhatoo said that the police and Army teams swiftly acted on intelligence inputs about the presence of arms and ammunition hidden in different areas.

Following that, search operations were conducted in several places and the recovery of the large arms and ammunition cache was subsequently made.

"These intelligence-based operations mark a major achievement for the Manipur Police and the security forces in their continued efforts to restore normalcy, maintain public order and ensure the safety and security of citizens and their property," a statement by the Manipur Police said, as reported by the New Indian Express.

The Manipur Police has also assured of its commitment to establish a peaceful and secure environment in Manipur, the New Indian Express report stated.

The report further said that the looters had stolen over 4,000 guns from armouries and other establishments of the police. However, it remains unclear if the recovered guns were part of the looted weapons.