In the continued mopping operation in connection with the upcoming November 7 by-election in Manipur’s Thoubal district, police on Thursday recovered as many as six guns.
Of the five Assembly constituencies where by-elections are scheduled to be conducted on November 7, two are in Thoubal district. They are Lilong Assembly constituency and Wangjing-Tentha Assembly constituency.
Since the ECI had announced the by-election schedules on September 29 in respective of the two constituencies, police in Thoubal district have been conducting search operations in various localities and villages lying within the two constituencies. The search operations were conducted as a part of security measures for smooth conduct of the by-elections, according to the police.
The district police on Thursday conducted the search operation at Lilong Turel Ahanbi locality under Lilong Assembly constituency where they recovered as many as six guns. Three double barrel guns, two single barrel guns along with cartridges and one non prohibited bore (NPB) .20 pistol were recovered during search operation, the police said. The search operation was conducted from 4.45 am to 7.30 am after cordoning the locality. Thorough search was conducted in as many as 60 houses, they said.
Around 350 people including females were also verified. However, there was no report of picking any person on suspect, the police added.
In the meantime, Thoubal district magistrate has promulgated section 144 of CrPC in the entire district in view of the upcoming by-elections in the two constituencies. The order prohibited gathering of five or more persons, movement of persons carrying deadly weapons such as sticks, stone, firearms etc. with immediate effect from October 7 until further order to ensure that no untoward incident occurs in the district.
The district magistrate promulgated the prohibitory order based on a report of the district police, observing a volatile situation in the district in view of the by-election to the two Assembly constituencies.
There is apprehension of causing serious breach of peace and disturbances of the public tranquillity and endanger human lives and properties in the district, the report of the SP of the district stated.
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