Imphal: In a major coordinated crackdown across multiple districts, security forces on Thursday dismantled two insurgent camps, destroyed three bunkers, and recovered a substantial cache of arms and explosives, officials said on Friday.
A joint team of security personnel dismantled a suspected militant camp in the Dampi ridge area under the jurisdiction of the Churachandpur police station. The search of the premises led to the recovery of a diverse arsenal, including a modified AK-47, two 9 mm pistols with magazines, two 12-bore rifles, and two single-barrel muzzle-loading rifles.
The seizure also featured four improvised weapons, locally known as "pompis," along with 81 rounds of live ammunition of various calibres. Beyond weaponry, the team found 1 kg of explosive material, two bulletproof jackets, and two walkie-talkie sets at the site.
In a simultaneous operation conducted near the periphery of Loktak Lake, security forces recovered additional arms from the Upokpi Khunou Mamang Leikai area under the Bishnupur police station. The seized items included a .32 pistol with a magazine, a single-barrel gun, and a high-explosive hand grenade.
Further intensifying the anti-insurgency drive, security units destroyed three bunkers located in the Satang Hill range under the Sagolmang police station in Imphal East district.
While no arrests were made during these raids, officials confirmed that the recovered contraband and weaponry have been handed over to the respective local police stations for further legal proceedings. The operations come amid heightened vigilance by state and central forces to maintain order in the sensitive hill-valley fringe areas.