Manipur: Security Forces Seize Arms, Explosives in Week-Long Joint Ops; 4 Held

In a significant crackdown on armed groups, the Indian Army and Assam Rifles, in coordination with the Manipur Police and central paramilitary forces, launched a series of intelligence-based joint operations from June 8 to 15 across multiple districts of Manipur.

The week-long operations were carried out in both hill and valley regions, including Thoubal, Churachandpur, Kakching, Tengnoupal, Imphal East, and Imphal West.

The coordinated actions, which also involved the CRPF, BSF, and ITBP, led to the apprehension of four individuals linked to hill and valley-based armed groups. Security personnel recovered a substantial cache of arms and ammunition during the operations, including 23 weapons, 10 Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), grenades, and various war-like stores.

The first major breakthrough came on June 8, when Assam Rifles and BSF personnel, acting on specific intelligence, conducted a search operation in the Mission Veng area of Moreh, Tengnoupal district. The joint team recovered two improvised mortars (popularly known as ‘Pompies’) from the site.

On June 12, Assam Rifles carried out two separate joint operations. In Thoubal district, a search in the Ikop Pat area with Manipur Police led to the seizure of five weapons, including a .303 rifle, three 12-bore SBBL rifles, a 9mm pistol, ammunition, and other military equipment.

In Churachandpur district the same day, another joint team combed through jungle terrain between T Lamlai and Kuvan villages and recovered two more improvised mortars and two 12-bore rifles, along with a stockpile of ammunition.

The security forces continued their push on June 12 in Champhai, Imphal East district, where Assam Rifles and Manipur Police seized two single-barrel shotguns and a .32 pistol, in addition to ammunition and other materials.
On June 13, in Tengnoupal district, a joint team of the Indian Army and Manipur Police unearthed a cache comprising a 9mm carbine, two pistols, and ten IEDs during a search operation.

A day later, based on specific intelligence inputs, a joint operation was launched in the Chairel Khunou area (approximately 5–6 km north of Sugnu) in Kakching district. The forces recovered four weapons, including a Self-Loading Rifle (SLR), a 9mm carbine, a .22 calibre rifle, and a single-barrel rifle. Alongside this, six kilograms of explosives, grenades, and a stockpile of war-like materials were also seized.

On the same day in Imphal East, the Indian Army and Manipur Police launched an operation in the Thayong Hill area near Laikot Kom Village. Two 12-bore rifles — a Single-Barrel Breech-Loading (SBBL) and a bolt-action rifle — along with ammunition and military supplies were recovered.

All apprehended individuals and seized materials have been handed over to Manipur Police for further investigation.

Also Read: Manipur Security Forces Arrest 7 Militants, Seize Cache of Weapons