US-made rifle, huge cache of arms seized in search operations in Manipur: Officials
Officials said the recoveries highlight the continued presence of sophisticated as well as locally fabricated weapons in Manipur’s vulnerable areas
A US-made M16 rifle along with a large cache of arms, ammunition and explosives were seized by security forces during intensified search and area domination operations across Manipur on Wednesday, officials confirmed on Thursday.
The recovery was made from the jungle area between Maohing and Changoubung villages in Kangpokpi district.
The forces recovered one M16 rifle with a magazine and ten rounds, a looted .303 rifle with two magazines, a CMG with its magazine and two rounds, a 7.62 mm LMG barrel, a lathode with two rounds, three pistols including a US-made pistol with three magazines, a .22 rifle with its magazine and forty rounds, six bolt action rifles, two single barrel rifles and twelve rounds of 12 mm ammunition. They also found three improvised projectile launchers (commonly called pumpis), two hand grenades, four Baofang radio sets and three bulletproof jackets.
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In a separate operation at Kotzim village in Kangpokpi district, the forces recovered a 9 mm carbine with its magazine, a single barrel rifle, three pull mechanism rifles, three improvised mortars and two hand grenades.
Another search was conducted in Khongnangpokpi area in Imphal West, where one pompi gun, a country-made rifle, a hand grenade, a radio handset and a charger were seized.
Officials said the recoveries highlight the continued presence of sophisticated as well as locally fabricated weapons in Manipur’s vulnerable areas.
Officials added that the ongoing operations are aimed at neutralising armed groups and restoring stability in the conflict-affected state.
