Two Days of Major Weapon Seizures in the Hills and Valleys of Manipur

PTI, IMPHAL, JULY 28, 2025 : Security forces in Manipur recovered, on Monday, 155 firearms and 1,652 rounds of ammunition during multiple operations conducted in the hill districts of Churachandpur, Kangpokpi, Pherzawl, Tengnoupal, and Chandel districts over the past few days, police said.

The intelligence-based operations by joint teams comprising police, Central Armed Police Forces, Assam Rifles, and the army led to the recovery of eight AK series rifles, two INSAS rifles, four carbines, one SLR, eight 9mm pistols, fourteen 12 bore guns, 21 single bore guns, 14 country-made pistols, and other rifles, police said. According to police, 31 pompi (locally-made mortars), 39 improvised explosive devices (IEDs), 13 hand grenades, and over 1,600 rounds of ammunition were also seized. Security forces also recovered 15 communication sets and 4 binoculars during the operations.

Earlier on Saturday, security forces seized at least 90 firearms and over 700 rounds of ammunition and explosives in multiple operations across five districts in the Imphal valley of Manipur. A senior police officer said that several of these seized firearms had been reportedly looted from police armouries after ethnic conflict erupted in the state in May 2023.

Acting on a tip-off, coordinated operations were launched simultaneously at multiple sites in Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal, Kakching, and Bishnupur districts. During the operations by the joint teams, comprising the Manipur Police, CRPF, BSF, Army, and Assam Rifles, 90 weapons, including three from the AK series, one M16 rifle, five INSAS rifles, one INSAS LMG, four SLRs, 20 pistols, four carbines, seven .303 rifles, and eight other rifles, were seized. "A total of 728 rounds of ammunition and explosives, including 21 grenades and six IEDs, besides 21 magazines and 24 wireless handsets, were also seized," it said.

Miscreants had looted over 6,000 firearms from various police armouries after ethnic violence broke out in the state on May 3, 2023. More than 3,000 of the looted firearms have been recovered, including over 1,500 after President's rule was imposed in the state in February this year.