HT Digital
IPHAL, MAY 21: In a major crackdown on underground activities, the Indian Army and Assam Rifles, with support from local police, dismantled a makeshift shelter-cum-training camp allegedly used by anti-social elements near the Indo-Myanmar border in Manipur’s Churachandpur district.
Acting on specific intelligence inputs, the joint forces launched a coordinated operation on Tuesday in the forested area near Gothol village, under the jurisdiction of the Churachandpur district police station.
As the troops approached, the suspected Kuki-Zo activists abandoned the site, fleeing into the dense terrain. A cache of arms, explosives, and tactical gear was recovered, and the illegal structure was promptly dismantled.
The three-hour-long operation was part of a sustained drive to eliminate insurgent strongholds in the region. Among the items seized were:
- One Excalibur Rifle (with empty magazine)
- Two country-made mortars (Pumpi)
- Five medium mortar rounds/bombs
- One locally made rocket bomb
- Multiple empty ammunition cases (.303, 7.62×39 mm, and 5.56 mm)
- Tear smoke shells and a tear gas grenade
- Two locally made bulletproof plates
- Five tactical vests
- Two Baofeng wireless sets with charger
- Six 12-bore cartridge belts
All recovered items were handed over to the Churachandpur police station for further investigation. Security officials reaffirmed their commitment to ongoing operations aimed at restoring peace and curbing illegal militant activities in the border areas.