Huge cache of arms, ammunition seized in Manipur

Imphal: A huge cache of arms and ammunition was seized from different parts of Manipur over the last three days, police said on Thursday.

In an operation at Champhai hill in Imphal East district on Wednesday, security forces seized an M-16 rifle and a .22 rifle, two SLRs, one country-made Sten gun, two carbines, eight country-made 9 mm pistols, thirty magazines and 12 two-inch mortars, they said.

In another operation in Luwangshangbam area of the district, the forces found two .32 pistols, a 9 mm pistol, two hand grenades, and two improvised two-inch mortars, among others, they added.

A similar operation was conducted in Khelakhong in Imphal West district on Tuesday. Among the items seized were an SLR rifle, a modified .303 rifle, a 9mm pistol, 16 live rounds of ammunition and hand grenades, police said.

A search at Gelbung village in Bishnupur district on Monday led to the recovery of an AK-47 rifle with a magazine, a 12-bore single-barrel rifle, a 12-bore pistol and a 9 mm carbine machine gun. Five detonators and 2.5 kg of IED were also seized.

A raid at Kangvai in Churachandpur led to the seizure of two improvised mortars, locally known as ‘pumpi’, two locally-made hand grenades, and two country-made pistols, police said.