Manipur: Arms Seized in Operations Amid Ongoing Ethnic Clashes

IMPHAL: Security forces have once again seized arms, ammunition, and warlike stores in separate operations carried out across various locations in Manipur. These operations aimed at curbing the violence have revealed the alarming presence of sophisticated weaponry among the miscreants involved.

Acting on precise intelligence, troopers from the Assam Rifles and a Special Operations Group (SOG) of Manipur Police conducted a joint search operation on September 11th in the Shikhong Thongkhong area of Thoubal district. The operation resulted in the recovery of a Self-Loading Rifle (SLR), one grenade, and one Tube Launcher Grenade. These seized items were subsequently handed over to the Thoubal police, as reported by the Assam Rifles on September 13th.

In another coordinated operation, personnel from the Assam Rifles and the Lamlai police station conducted a joint operation in Kharasom village, Chingkheiching range of Imphal East district, also on September 11th. This operation led to the recovery of one carbine and two grenades. The recovered weapons and explosives were promptly handed over to the Lamlai police.

The armed miscreants, allegedly responsible for significant damage in the ongoing ethnic clashes in Manipur, have been found to possess highly sophisticated weaponry, some of which may have been looted from police station armouries. This situation has raised concerns about the scale of the arsenal in their possession.

As of August 16th this year, Gaurav Gogoi, Assam MP and deputy leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, emphasized that peace could not return to the violence-hit Manipur until the over 6,000 sophisticated weapons and approximately six lakh rounds of ammunition allegedly available to these miscreants are addressed.

Regrettably, the ethnic clashes in Manipur, which have persisted for four months, have led to a grim toll. At least 178 individuals have lost their lives, and thousands more have sustained injuries. The violence has also forcibly displaced over 50,000 people, compelling them to seek refuge in relief camps established by the authorities across different districts of the state.

Disturbingly, the Manipur Social Welfare Department has reported that among the displaced individuals, approximately 12,694 are children. Over 100 of these children are described as severely traumatized and in need of professional counseling, underscoring the devastating psychological impact of the conflict.

The clashes in Manipur initially erupted on May 3rd this year following a 'Tribal Solidarity March' held in the hill districts. This march was organized in protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, highlighting the complex and deeply rooted issues contributing to the ongoing strife in the region.

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