Huge cache of arms, ammos recovered
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 10 2024: Security forces 'recovered' more arms, ammunition and explosives from three different places in the last 24 hours as they stepped up their search operations in vulnerable areas.

The search operations were carried out in Jiribam, Kakching and Kangpokpi.

A massive search operation was carried out at Mongbung village in Jiribam today and arms and ammunition allegedly abandoned by Kuki militants today were recovered.

The operation was carried out by Jiribam police, 39 Assam Rifles and 87 and 20 Battalions of CRPF under the command of Jiribam SP M Pradip and Senior SP (Combat) Nectar Sanjenbam.

Huge cache of arms, ammos recovered

During the search operation, the combined team recovered one country made single barrel gun, one 12 bore single barrel gun along with 20 live cartridges and 84 empty cartridges, 39 assorted live ammunition, 45 assorted cartridges, two magazines, one local made explosive, seven IED fuses, two walkie talkie sets, five walkie talkie charger, eight mobile phone, three bullet proof jackets, one improvised bullet proof jacket and one camouflage bag.

The recovered items have been handed over to Jiribam police station.

It is reported that Kuki militants occupied some portions of Mongbung village last night by firing indiscriminately from neighbouring Seijang Kuki village located in the nearby hill range.

Sources said that Kuki militants started indiscriminate firing at Mongbung village at around 7 pm and village volunteers retaliated.

The exchange of fire lasted around 2 hours.

Most of the women and children of Mongbung have taken shelter in safer areas following the attack.

In another operation, a combined team of Kakching police, Kakching commandos, 131 Battalion of BSF and 37 Assam Rifles (Pangantabi) carried out a cordon and search operation at Thamnapat Hills at Pangantabi Chingkha under Wangoo police station today and recovered a number of explosives and some other items.

The recovered items include two 81mm mortars with one cover (misfired), one 51mm mortar with cover (misfired), two 51 mm smoke shells (misfired), three .36 grenades (without detonators), one Baofeng handset, 2 helmets, four bulletproof vests, three camouflage pants, two camouflage shirts, one camouflage T-shirt, one smoke grenade and four live rounds of pump action gun) .

The explosives and the other items were found concealed in three bags viz a cement bag, a gunny bag and a backpack in a secluded area of Thamnapat Hills at Pangantabi Chingkha and the same have been handed over to Wangoo police station.

The security forces also carried out a similar operation at K Lhangnom village located some 4 kilometers southwest of Motbung under Sapermeina police station in Kangpokpi using a sniffer dog and a metal detector yesterday morning and recovered three guns, two explosives and ammunition.

The operation was jointly conducted by Kangpokpi police, 22 Assam Rifles and 94 Battalion of CRPF.

The items recovered during the operation were one 9mm carbine machine gun with a magazine, two single bore barrel guns, one hand grenade, one stun grenade, one smoke bomb, one .303 Rifle magazine, 17 live rounds of 9mm ammunition, and four single bore cartridges.

The guns, ammunition and the explosives have been handed over to Sapermeina police station.