Imphal: In a major breakthrough, Manipur Police, assisted by central security forces, recovered 67 arms, including 27 AK-series rifles and 11 US-made rifles, besides a huge cache of ammunition and explosives during a series of operations conducted over the past 24 hours, officials said on Thursday.
A senior police official said that four hardcore militants belonging to the United National Liberation Front-Pambei faction (UNLF-Pambei) were also arrested during the operations carried out in Imphal West district.
Acting on credible intelligence inputs regarding the illegal sale of looted arms and ammunition in the Lamshang area, Manipur Police launched a special operation on Wednesday at Lamdeng under the Lamshang police station area, the official said.
During the operation, two active cadres of the UNLF-Pambei, identified as Heishnam Thomas Singh, 29, and Arambam Tomtom Singh, 29, were apprehended along with an INSAS rifle, a Light Machine Gun (LMG), three magazines and 14 live rounds of ammunition.
While the arrest process was underway, associates of the two militants allegedly opened fire at the security personnel, triggering a brief exchange of fire between the two sides.
Subsequently, two more hardcore cadres of the outfit, identified as Ningthoujam Rakesh Singh and Chingakham Mahesh Singh, who were allegedly involved in the firing incident, were also arrested.
During preliminary interrogation, the arrested militants reportedly disclosed that they had come to sell the seized weapons on the instructions of self-styled Lance Corporal Naorem Bijoy alias Macha of the UNLF.
The militants also reportedly admitted their involvement in earlier instances of illegal sale of looted arms and ammunition.
Based on the disclosures made during interrogation, joint security forces comprising Manipur Police, Assam Rifles and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) launched a follow-up cordon and search operation at an unauthorised UNLF militant camp located at Lamdeng.
After an extensive search operation, the security forces recovered a huge cache of arms and war-like stores consisting of 29 weapons, including AK-series rifles, M-series rifles, pistols and other sophisticated firearms.
In another operation conducted on Thursday, the joint security forces recovered 38 additional weapons, including AK-series rifles, M-series rifles, a sniper rifle, carbines, shotguns, mortars, an RPG-7 launcher, an anti-drone jammer and a huge quantity of explosives and ammunition.
Police appealed to the public to immediately share information regarding looted or illegally possessed weapons with the nearest police station or security agencies.
The UNLF-Pambei had signed a peace agreement with the Central government in 2023, committing to shun violence and abstain from militant activities. However, members of the outfit have repeatedly been arrested in connection with alleged illegal arms trade and other unlawful activities.
Meanwhile, in a separate operation along the India-Myanmar border, security forces recovered arms and ammunition from areas near Border Pillars No 72 and 73 under Moreh police station in Tengnoupal district. The recovered items included a Self-Loading Rifle (SLR), a 9 mm pistol with a magazine, four radio sets, a radio charger and four Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). The IEDs were later destroyed on the spot by security personnel.
(IANS)
