IMPHAL, March 10: Huge caches of arms and ammunition were recovered as Manipur police continued its joint operations in vulnerable and fringe areas of violent affected districts to disarm the miscreants engaging in gun fights.
The caches of arms and ammunition were recovered during operations in Churachandpur and Kangpokpi districts on Saturday, the police said on Sunday.
A cache of arms and ammunition were recovered during an operation in Kangpokpi district. The cache included one 5.56mm US Made M-16 Assault Rifle, one 5.56mm M-16 Assault Rifle magazine, one 12-inch single bore barrel gun, one 36 HE hand grenade with detonator, 33 live cartridge of single bore, five cases of cartridges of single bore, six live rounds of 5.56mm, one combat pouch, one sling bag and one ammunition waist belt.
In another operation in Churachandpur, the police recovered eleven SBBL guns, one 9 mm pistol with magazine, three improvised heavy mortar (Pumpi) guns, four improvised heavy mortar (Pumpi) bombs and 17 rounds of 7.62 mm (sniper) ammunition, the police added.
The Manipur police along with the central security forces have been conducting search and area domination operations in the vulnerable and fringe areas of violent affected districts of the state, in their efforts to restore normalcy.
Another objective of the ongoing operations was to recover arms and ammunition looted by mobs during the initial stage of the violence that had been unfolding in the state since May 3 last year.
A total of 5,668 arms along with ammunition were also looted during the initial stage of the violence, according to the police. (NNN)