Massive arms haul in Manipur; AK-56 suspect arrested as security crackdown intensifies

Imphal, July 15: Security forces recovered a large cache of arms, ammunition and explosives in multiple operations across Imphal West, Imphal East and Churachandpur districts of Manipur, while arresting a man allegedly in possession of an AK-56 assault rifle and a pistol.

The coordinated operations come amid intensified security measures and large-scale combing operations launched across the state following the recent deadly bomb blast targeting an Assam Rifles convoy.

In the first operation early Wednesday, a joint team of the Manipur Police and the 33 Assam Rifles raided Ishok Mamang Leikai near Loktak Lake under Wangoi Police Station in Imphal West district and recovered a concealed cache of arms and ammunition.

A day earlier, on July 14, Manipur Police recovered another cache of weapons from the forest area of Gothol village under Churachandpur Police Station. The seizure included an INSAS rifle with a magazine, a locally made single-barrel firearm, five locally made hand grenades, 25 empty cartridge cases, nine live rounds of ammunition, two 9 mm magazines, a binocular, three Baofeng handheld communication sets, and military gear including chest pouches and helmets.

In a separate operation on the same day, security forces arrested 42-year-old Sanasam Ibocha alias Abocha Singh from Uyumpok Mamang Leikai under Sagolmang Police Station in Imphal East district. An AK-56 rifle, a .32 calibre pistol with a magazine and 27 rounds of AK-56 ammunition were seized from his possession.

Another search operation in the forest area of K. Thenjang village in Churachandpur district yielded a major cache of weapons and explosives. The recovery included an AK rifle with a magazine, a pistol, two single-barrel guns, two country-made pistols, an air gun, an RPG round, a hand grenade, five improvised explosive devices (IEDs), a PEK explosive, three pumpis, four Motorola handheld communication sets with chargers, four bulletproof jackets and 44 empty cartridge cases.

Police said the recoveries were made during ongoing search and area domination operations aimed at tracing illegal arms, dismantling militant infrastructure and strengthening security across vulnerable areas of the state.

Further investigation is underway to identify those linked to the recovered weapons and explosives.

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