In coordination with Manipur Police, the Army successfully executed a joint operation on Thursday, seizing arms and ammunition from different areas in the state.
The operation, based on intelligence inputs, resulted in the discovery of an arms cache in the sensitive fringe areas of Kangpokpi and Imphal East districts.
Seizures include one heavy caliber launcher, one 12 bore double barrel rifle, one .177 Rifle with magazine, two pistols, one pompi gun, five grenades, ammunition and war like stores.
The Indian Army has ramped up its search operations across the region to counter the surge of violence.
Arms seized during search operations: A combined team of Imphal East district and 5/9 GR conducted search operations at Bongbal Khullen village, under TBL Dam Police station, Kangpokpi district from 5 am to 8 am on Thursday.
During search operations, one 60 mm heavy calibre launcher, one .177 Rifle with magazines, one 12 Bore Double Barrel Rifle, one Pumpi Gun, one 9 mm Pistol with Magazine, one .32 mm Pistol with Magazine, four 36 HE Hand Grenades with Arming Rings, one Anti riot Stun Grenade, one live Pumpi shell, one 60 mm Mortar Shell, four Ignitor Set Detonator, 19 live rds of 5.56 mm INSAS, 24 rounds of 7.62 mm AK,
two rounds of 9 mm, one round of .32, three rounds of .177 Bore, four rounds of 12 Bore Cartridge and 52 rounds of 7.62 mm Explosive Cartridge were seized, as per sources.
The recovered items were handed over to TBL Dam Police.
Manipur Police acquires MMGs: Amid the ongoing ethnic conflict, the Manipur Police has acquired medium machine guns (MMGs) with improved range and accuracy.
It has asked army authorities for assistance training police personnel in operating these advanced weapons, according to sources.
The MMGs, sourced from the Ordnance Factory in Jabalpur, offer a significant upgrade over the existing LMGs, which were partially looted during the initial stages of the unrest in May-June 2023.
The police have reached out to the 57 Mountain Division of the Army, based in Leimakhong, to provide instructors for a 21-day training programme.
Security sources said that the MMGs use 7.62 mm rounds, boast a longer barrel, bi-pod, and tripod capabilities and can be mounted on a vehicle allowing for more accurate firing over a distance of 100 to 1200 meters.
