1040 looted sophisticated arms recover by the security forces in Manipur

way2barak, June 13 : Altogether 1,040 sophisticated arms and 13,601 ammunition of different kinds have been recovered so far though the violent mobs, extremists and miscreants looted few thousands of automatic and sophisticated weapons from the security forces after the ethnic violence broke out in Manipur on May 3.

Officials in Imphal said on Tuesday said that along with the 1,040 sophisticated arms and 13,601 ammunition, 230 live bombs of different types so far recovered after the Army, various Central Armed Police Force, Manipur Rifles, Police have launched state wide combing operation a day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s four day (May 29-June 1) visit in Manipur.

Various reports claimed that thousands of different types of sophisticated arms and large quantities of ammunition were looted by mobs. Militants and miscreants from many police stations and security camps after the riots broke out.

To flush out the militancy and their hideouts, the Army and other central forces continued their counter-insurgency operation and to avoid mistrust, ‘executive magistrates’ will accompany the forces during the operations.

Manipur government’s advisor (Security) Kuldiep Singh said that curfew was relaxed for 15 hours in Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal and Bishnupur districts, 12 hours in Kakching and Pherzawl districts and 8 to 10 hours in other districts.

There is no curfew in six hill districts.

He said that movement of a large number of vehicles carrying essential items, food grains, life saving drugs, transport fuel along Imphal-Jiribam National Highway (NH-37) is ensured.

Senior officers have visited and are camping in vulnerable areas.

Strict security measures are taken up in all vulnerable areas while a combined team of state and Central forces have intensified combing operations in many parts of the state, he said.

Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey visited relief camps at Churachandpur and Bishnupur districts and interacted with the residents and she also held meetings with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in both the districts.

Chief Minister N. Biren Singh chaired a meeting of the Superintendent of Police and other police officials and reviewed the overall situation of all the 16 districts through the video-conference system.

State Ministers and MLAs are visiting different areas of state and appealing for peace and normalcy by meeting the public at large and CSOs.

Security forces are also organising meetings with CSOs, village heads of different villages and making appeals for peace and normalcy, besides doing their duties of area domination, patrol.