Huge stores of weapons, ammunition and explosives recovered in Manipur

Kolkata, Sep 30 (IANS) The Indian Army’s Eastern Command on Monday claimed major recoveries of weapons and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in Manipur since September 25.

“23 weapons and several IEDs packed with 52.5 kgs of explosives have been recovered from various parts of the state. The operations were carried out by the Army and Assam Rifles, in close coordination with Manipur Police and other security forces operating in Manipur,” the army in a statement said.

The army said that during intelligence-based operations conducted on September 25, the Assam Rifles and Manipur Police recovered a 7.62 mm Self Loading Rifle (SLR), two 9 mm carbines, a 9 mm pistol, a 0.32 mm pistol, grenades, ammunition and other warlike stores from the general area of Tekcham, Manning and Phainom Village Pine Forest Plantation in the Thoubal district.

“A major tragedy was averted when Assam Rifles and Manipur Police detected and neutralized an IED with 10 kgs of explosives, placed under State Highway 18 at Saram in the same district,” it added.

A senior official also claimed that in another operation launched by the Assam Rifles and Manipur Police on September 27, two .303 bolt-action rifles, a 9 mm pistol, grenades, ammunition and other warlike stores were recovered from the Loiching Ridge in the Kangpokpi district.

“A day later, while continuing with their operations, the security forces seized a .303 sniper rifle, a .303 bolt-action rifle, two 9 mm pistols, grenades, ammunition and other warlike stores from the Aigejang Ridge in the same district,” he added.

On September 25, the Army, Manipur Police and Border Security Force (BSF) raided locations in the Churachandpur district and recovered two large and heavy long-range mortars (Pompi) and grenades. Again, on September 28, the security forces carried out an operation in Songdoi and seized a pistol and single-barrelled gun of Myanmar origin.

“In the Imphal East district, troops of the Indian Army detected and diffused three IEDs, weighing nearly 42.5 kg while patrolling the sensitive area. The IEDs were cleverly concealed along the Tumukhong-Hungdum Tangkhul Road, near Maphital Ridge,” he added.

He said that in the Bishnupur district, the Army, Manipur Police and CRPF launched a search operation in the general area of Phoisenphai village and Kwakta and recovered two Pompi (country-made mortars), two modified carbine sub-machine guns, a single-barrelled rifle, three pistols, a grenade, ammunition and other warlike stores.