Imphal, July 26: Security forces launched a major pre-dawn crackdown across Manipur’s valley districts on Saturday, recovering a substantial cache of illegal arms, ammunition, explosives, and warlike stores. The operation, one of the largest in recent months, marks a significant development in the state’s continued effort to dismantle illegal armed networks and restore public order.
The coordinated raids were carried out in Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal, Kakching, and Bishnupur districts. Joint teams of the Manipur Police, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), and Army/Assam Rifles targeted multiple suspected locations in peripheral and high-risk zones.
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Based on specific intelligence inputs, the Officials confirmed the recovery of a wide assortment of weapons, including automatic rifles such as AK-series and M16s, INSAS and SLR rifles, pistols, mortars, carbines, and locally fabricated firearms. Explosive materials including IEDs, grenades, and a mortar shell were also seized, along with hundreds of rounds of live ammunition, magazines, and wireless communication devices.
Inspector General of Police (Zone-II) K. Kabib said the operation was the result of well-planned, intelligence-led efforts. “These recoveries represent a major breakthrough in our mission to recover looted arms and neutralize threats to public safety,” he stated during a press briefing at Manipur Police Headquarters.
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The crackdown comes amid ongoing security operations that have intensified following the ethnic violence that broke out in May 2023. The conflict displaced over 60,000 people and led to the looting of more than 6,000 weapons from police armouries. In recent months, multiple high-profile recoveries have been made, including over 300 weapons on February 27 and more than 10,000 rounds of ammunition on June 14.
Senior officials described Saturday’s operation as part of a sustained push to restore peace and stability in the state. The Manipur Police reaffirmed its commitment to continuing such efforts and urged the public to report any information related to illegal arms.
Residents have been asked to remain vigilant and support law enforcement by cooperating with authorities and sharing credible intelligence. The Director General of Police emphasized that security operations will continue until all illegal arms are accounted for and normalcy is fully restored.