Gunfire Exchange During Manipur Search Ops Leads to Militant Camp Bust

In a series of intensified search and area domination operations across Manipur, security forces have recovered a significant cache of arms, ammunition, and war-like stores from multiple locations, including Thoubal, Imphal East, Jiribam, and Bishnupur districts.

One of the major operations took place in the forested area of Heirok Part-III Uyok Ching under Heirok Police Station in Thoubal district, where a large cache of arms was discovered. Among the weapons seized were a Self-Loading Rifle (SLR) with a magazine, a 12 Bore Single Barrel Gun, along with 7.62 mm ammunition, blank cartridges, kartoos, and a firing pin. Security personnel also recovered various types of tear smoke shells—standard, normal, and chilli variants—alongside stun shells, indicating potential plans for crowd control or sabotage.

In addition to the weapons, the security forces seized items such as camouflage clothing, jungle boots, backpacks, sleeping bags, and other utility materials including blankets, buckets, and jars. Medical supplies such as syringes, IV sets, paracetamol tablets, Betadine, and a cotton roll were also recovered. Vehicles, including a Tata Safari and two Gypsies, were seized from the site, indicating a well-equipped and mobile militant base.

Manipur Police, in a post on social media platform X, confirmed that the forces came under fire during the operation. The attackers were suspected to be members of the Kangleipak Communist Party (People’s War Group), or KCP(PWG). The security personnel responded with appropriate force and later uncovered a large camp believed to be used intermittently by armed militants. The cache of weapons and other recovered items is believed to have been stored at this location.

In a separate operation conducted in the Makou Hill Range near Pourabi village under Lamlai Police Station in Imphal East district, forces recovered a .32 pistol without a magazine, an empty INSAS magazine, ten 9mm live rounds, and a tear smoke grenade.

Earlier on Sunday, another search operation in the general area of Kamranga under Jiribam Police Station resulted in the recovery of three double-barrel guns, one country-made single-barrel gun, five live 12 Bore rounds, and four camouflage bulletproof jackets.

On April 4, joint teams of the Army and Manipur Police recovered a cache of weapons from Chandpur in Bishnupur district, including an SLR, a carbine, a .303 rifle, a double-barrel rifle, ammunition, and other military-grade materials. The same day, further recoveries were made in Khongam Pat of Imphal West, where security forces seized an SLR, a .303 rifle, a firearm with a telescopic sight, a 0.177 air rifle, two pistols, and related ammunition.

Security operations also continued in Kakching district, where two cadres were apprehended from Khongjom Khebaching in Churachandpur district, and another two were nabbed from D Vaison. The forces recovered two pistols, ammunition, and other materials from these operations.

In Imphal East’s Ngariyan Hill area, security personnel recovered a carbine, four pistols, a .22 rifle, a 12 Bore single barrel rifle, two additional single bore rifles, grenades, and more ammunition.

Also Read: Major Militant Bust in Manipur: Five KCP-Noyon Cadres Arrested, Arms and Ammo Seized