Foreign-made rifles recovered after 4 Kuki militants killed in Manipur

IMPHAL: Security forces recovered several foreign-made rifles from Manipur's Churachandpur district after four armed cadres of the United Kuki National Army (UKNA) were killed in an encounter, officials said on Wednesday. A defence spokesman said that after the encounter with the UKNA militants, the security forces in the subsequent search operation recovered sophisticated foreign-made arms and other materials in the Khanpi-Henglep region of Churachandpur District.

Recovered arms included one 7.62 mm self-loading rifle, one AK-56, one MA4 MK II rifle, one under-barrel grenade launcher with magazines, three single-barrel rifles, ammunition, bulletproof jackets, tactical vests, Motorola communication sets and other warlike stores of the armed cadres.

The spokesman said that in a well-coordinated intelligence-based operation, security forces neutralised four armed cadres of the UKNA in the Khanpi-Henglep region of Churachandpur District on Tuesday.

The operation was launched in response to escalating atrocities committed by UKNA, including the recent killing of a village chief in Henglep, widespread intimidation and extortion of civilians, schools, and financial institutions in the region, demanding amounts ranging from Rs 5 to 50 lakh from them.

UKNA is a banned insurgent outfit operating primarily in the hill districts of Manipur. The outfit is not a signatory to the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement, unlike several other Kuki and Zomi groups that have entered ceasefire arrangements with the government of India and the state government in August 2008.

Known for its involvement in armed violence, extortion, and disruption of public life, UKNA has posed a persistent threat to peace and stability in the region, the spokesman stated.

Acting on specific intelligence inputs, an operation was launched in the Khanpi and Henglep region on Tuesday early morning. The team of security forces detected movement of armed insurgents in the general area of Khanpi, who were hailed and urged to surrender peacefully. However, the heavily armed UKNA cadres opened indiscriminate automatic fire on the security forces, resulting in gunshot injuries to three personnel of the team. In the ensuing exchange of sustained fire from both sides, four UKNA cadres were neutralized.

Subsequent searches recovered the arms and other materials of the militants from the areas. Additionally, during search operations, a column of Assam Rifles discovered and destroyed a UKNA camp, recovering three single-barreled rifles, bulletproof jackets, tactical vests, Motorola communication sets, and other warlike stores. (IANS)

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