Imphal, June 15: Security forces in Manipur recovered 328 firearms in a series of coordinated raids across five districts of the Imphal Valley, in one of the largest arms hauls since ethnic violence erupted in the northeastern Indian state in 2023, officials said on Saturday.
The overnight operation, conducted jointly by the Manipur Police, Central Armed Police Forces, the Indian Army, and Assam Rifles, targeted suspected arms caches on the night of June 13–14. The seizures included 151 self-loading rifles, 65 INSAS rifles, 12 light machine guns, six AK-series rifles, two flare guns, a mortar, and 73 other rifles, along with a large stockpile of ammunition, according to a statement by the Manipur Police.
“This marks a major achievement for the Manipur Police and the security forces in their continued efforts to restore normalcy, maintain public order and ensure the safety and security of citizens and their property,” the police said.
The state’s Additional Director General of Police, Lhari Dorjee Lhatoo, said the raids were based on specific intelligence about concealed weapons in the conflict-affected districts. Ethnic clashes between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities have gripped the state since May 2023, with widespread looting of arms from police armouries.
Authorities appealed to the public to cooperate with law enforcement and report any suspicious activity or knowledge of illegal weapons. “Senior police officials are in close coordination with all security stakeholders to ensure that such operations continue in a sustained and focused manner,” the police added.
In a separate development, police said they arrested five militants from various locations across Manipur on Friday for alleged involvement in extortion.
Among those detained was a member of the United Peoples’ Party of Kangleipak (UPPK), identified as Akoijam Robinson, who was allegedly extorting schools in Imphal. A .32 pistol was seized from him during the arrest in Kakching district.
Other arrests included a member of the proscribed Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP-Noyon) from Thoubal, two cadres from the People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK and PREPAK-Pro) near the India–Myanmar border in Tengnoupal, and a KCP (PWG) operative from Imphal West.
Security forces also recovered communication equipment from Baruni Hill in Imphal East, including three vehicular radio sets, 13 handheld radios, seven antennas, and solar-powered charging equipment.
The Manipur government and central agencies have intensified efforts to disarm militant groups and criminal elements amid ongoing tensions in the region.
