Manipur: Security forces recovered at least 20 firearms along with ammunition during two separate operations carried out in Imphal West district, police said on May 11, amid continuing counter-insurgency and arms recovery drives in the violence-hit state.
According to police, a cache of 16 arms and ammunition was seized from the Langol hill range under the jurisdiction of Lamphel Police Station on Sunday.
The recovered weapons reportedly included ten pistols, one INSAS rifle, one .303 rifle, a detonator and five live rounds of ammunition.
In another operation conducted on Saturday, security personnel recovered four firearms, including two pistols, along with two hand grenades and ammunition from the Ingel Hill area at Tendongyang under Sekmai Police Station limits.
The operations form part of ongoing search and combing exercises being carried out by security agencies across Manipur since ethnic violence broke out in May 2023.
More than 260 people have been killed and thousands displaced in the violence between Meitei and Kuki-Zo groups over the past three years, with security forces continuing efforts to recover looted and illegally held weapons from different parts of the state.
