Manipur: 29 Firearms, Ammunition and Military Supplies Seized Across Various Districts

Imphal, Dec 15 (NationPress) Following a string of successful joint operations, the Indian Army and Assam Rifles, in partnership with Manipur Police and additional security forces, confiscated 29 firearms, ammunition, and warlike supplies from multiple districts, officials reported on Sunday.

A defense spokesperson stated that during recent operations, the Army and allied security forces successfully recovered these items from the districts of Churachandpur, Chandel, Kangpokpi, and Imphal East.

The seized weapons included an AK-47 rifle, a sniper rifle, a Burmese-made 0.22 pistol, five Burmese-made 9 mm pistols, one 7.65mm pistol made in Burma, a .303 bolt-action rifle, two .303 Single Bolt Sniper Rifles, a 9 mm Carbine Machine Gun (CMG), five factory-manufactured 12mm single-barrel rifles, a .22 rifle, and a 12mm shotgun, along with three locally manufactured mortars, a single-barrel gun, a 5.56 mm MA 4 Assault Rifle, an MA-1 (MK-I) assault rifle, an air gun, several grenades, and a large cache of ammunition and military supplies.

The recovered materials have been turned over to Manipur Police.

The spokesperson emphasized that the successful retrieval of these weapons, ammunition, and warlike stores underscores the effective collaboration between the Indian Army, Assam Rifles, and other law enforcement bodies, showcasing their dedication to maintaining the security and safety of the region.

In a related development, around 2,000 personnel from the Army and Assam Rifles are persistently conducting a search for the missing 56-year-old Meitei man, Laishram Kamalbabu Singh, who has been unaccounted for since November 25 in Kangpokpi district.

Under the guidance of senior officials, the Army has employed tracker dogs, drones, and various devices as part of their search efforts.

The Joint Action Committee (JAC) and the Meira Paibis (women vigilantes in Manipur) previously appealed to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for assistance in locating Kamalbabu Singh.

The Meira Paibis and the JAC have continued their separate protests against the abduction of Kamalbabu Singh.

Singh, a resident of Gossaipur in Cachar district of southern Assam, had been residing in Loitang Khunou village in Imphal West district before he went missing on November 25 while en route to the Leimakhong military station, where he worked as a supervisor for a contractor associated with the Military Engineering Services (MES).

Various organizations within the Meitei community have alleged that Singh was abducted by Kuki militants.