Northeast Desk, 28th August: In a joint operation conducted by the Assam Rifles and Indian Army, a significant cache of weapons was recovered from Village Gelmol in Manipur’s Churachandpur district on Sunday. Acting on intelligence inputs, the security forces collaborated to carry out the operation, resulting in the discovery of a range of arms and ammunition.
The cache of weapons included notable items such as an M4 Assault Rifle (without magazine), a 9mm Pistol (with Magazine), a Sten machine gun, a 9mm country-made Pistol (with magazine), a 0.22 mm country-made Pistol (with magazine), locally improvised mortars, ammunition, and warlike stores.
Of particular significance, this marks the first instance of recovering such sophisticated weapons and explosives in the Churachandpur district since the eruption of ethnic violence on May 3, 2023. The district has been witnessing ongoing clashes between the Kukis and Meiteis communities.
The recovery of these arms and explosives from an area at the heart of the ethnic tensions underscores the need for heightened security measures and collaborative efforts to ensure the safety and stability of the region. The recovered items have been handed over to the Churachandpur Police Station for further investigation and action.