Assam Rifles, Army neutralise 27 IEDs in Manipur's Kamjong in 48-hour op
Synopsis
In one of the largest single IED hauls in recent Manipur operations, the Assam Rifles and Indian Army defused 27 explosive devices buried along a hill route in Kamjong — a district sharing a 398-km unfenced border with Myanmar. The 48-hour operation, backed by sniffer dogs and electronic detectors, was accompanied by militant arrests and a drug seizure, pointing to the multi-front security challenge still gripping the state.
Key Takeaways
Assam Rifles and Indian Army bomb disposal teams neutralised 27 IEDs along the Shangkhalok-Pilong route in Kamjong district , Manipur , over 48 hours .
Devices were concealed in bushes along the 8-km hill route; sniffer dogs and electronic detectors were deployed.
Three militants from banned outfits KCP and PREPAK were arrested in Imphal East district .
Drug peddler Ngamkhojang Kipgen , 35, was apprehended with 785 grams of brown sugar hidden in 60 soap cases in Churachandpur district .
A joint police team recovered an SLR , a breech-loading firearm, nine rounds , and three wireless sets near the Waishen River in Imphal West .
Kamjong is one of five Manipur districts sharing a 398-km unfenced border with Myanmar , making it a persistent vulnerability.
The Assam Rifles and Indian Army bomb disposal teams detected and safely neutralised 27 Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) during a 48-hour intelligence-led operation along an 8-km stretch in Manipur's Kamjong district, officials said on Friday, 9 October. The devices, concealed among bushes, were found along the Shangkhalok-Pilong route in the hilly district bordering Myanmar. In separate operations, security forces also arrested three militants from banned outfits and apprehended a drug peddler carrying brown sugar.
How the IED Operation Unfolded
According to a defence spokesman, specialised electronic detection equipment and sniffer dogs were deployed to locate and neutralise the explosive devices along the hill route. The operation was completed within 48 hours, covering the full 8-km stretch of the Shangkhalok-Pilong road. The spokesman said the timely action thwarted attempts to disrupt peace and security in the area, while also ensuring safe movement for local border communities.
The Kamjong district, along with Churachandpur, Tengnoupal, Chandel, and Ukhrul, shares a 398-km-long unfenced international border with Myanmar. Officials noted that this porous frontier makes the region especially vulnerable to cross-border smuggling and militant infiltration, posing persistent security challenges for forces deployed there.
Militants Arrested, Drug Haul Seized
Three militants affiliated with banned outfits were arrested in separate operations in Imphal East district. They belong to the Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) and the People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK), both proscribed organisations operating in Manipur.
A drug peddler identified as Ngamkhojang Kipgen, 35, a resident of Tuidam village in Churachandpur district, was also apprehended. He was allegedly carrying brown sugar concealed in 60 soap cases, weighing a combined 785 grams, according to officials.
Weapons Cache Recovered Near Waishen River
In a separate operation, a joint team of Manipur Police and central security forces, acting on intelligence inputs, conducted a search near the bank of the Waishen River under Wangoi police station in Imphal West district. The team recovered one 7.62-mm Self-Loading Rifle (SLR) with a magazine, one single-barrel breech-loading firearm, nine assorted live rounds of ammunition, and three wireless communication sets. The recovered items are being examined to identify and dismantle militant networks operating in the state, a police official said.
Broader Security Context in Manipur
Manipur has remained on edge since ethnic violence broke out in May 2023, with security forces conducting near-continuous area-domination drives and search operations across fringe, mixed-populated, and vulnerable districts. The IED haul in Kamjong — one of the single largest neutralisations in recent months — underscores the ongoing threat posed by armed groups exploiting the state's difficult terrain and open border with Myanmar. Officials said operations across the state will continue as part of efforts to prevent violence and ensure civilian safety.
Point of View
Likely timed for a period of heightened movement or visibility. The fact that the devices were found on a border-community route, not a military convoy road, suggests a deliberate strategy of targeting civilian normalcy rather than security convoys directly. Manipur's unfenced 398-km Myanmar frontier remains the structural enabler: without physical barriers or sustained bilateral cooperation with Myanmar's fractured administration, the interdiction burden falls entirely on Indian boots on the ground. The simultaneous drug seizure and militant arrests reinforce what analysts have long argued — that insurgency and narco-trafficking in this corridor are not parallel problems but intertwined ones, sharing logistics and local networks.
NationPress
9 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many IEDs were neutralised in the Manipur operation?
Security forces neutralised 27 IEDs during a 48-hour intelligence-led operation along the Shangkhalok-Pilong route in Kamjong district . The devices had been concealed in bushes along the 8-km hill route bordering Myanmar.
Which militant groups were arrested during the Manipur operations?
Three militants belonging to the banned Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) and the People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) were arrested in separate operations in Imphal East district . Both organisations are proscribed under Indian law.
What drugs and weapons were recovered in the separate Manipur operations?
A drug peddler was caught with 785 grams of brown sugar hidden in 60 soap cases in Churachandpur district. Separately, a joint team recovered an SLR , a single-barrel breech-loading firearm, nine live rounds, and three wireless communication sets near the Waishen River in Imphal West.
Why is Kamjong district considered a high-security-risk zone?
Kamjong is one of five Manipur districts — along with Churachandpur, Tengnoupal, Chandel, and Ukhrul — that share a 398-km unfenced international border with Myanmar. The open frontier makes it vulnerable to militant infiltration, arms smuggling, and narcotics trafficking.
What methods did the security forces use to detect the IEDs?
According to a defence spokesman, the teams used specialised electronic detection devices and deployed sniffer dogs to locate and safely neutralise the explosives along the Shangkhalok-Pilong route during the 48-hour operation.
