Army recovers war-like stores in Manipur

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IMPHAL: The Army after conducting three major successful operations in Manipur have recovered 36 weapons, 1,615 ammunition pieces and 132 other war-like stores. 

The war-like stores’ recovery is considered the largest since May.

All the seized weapons were handed over to Manipur Police as per laid-down procedure on Thursday.

Officials confirmed the recovery on Friday.

The three operations were carried out in the ridges of Khamenlok-Gwalthabi, Wakan and Shantipur by the 2nd battalion of the 8th Regiment of Gorkha Rifles. These form part of the Imphal East in Manipur.

The ridges of Khamenlok-Gwalthabi, Wakan and Shantipur separate different villages of two warring communities in Imphal East. Intelligence reports indicated the build-up of weapons, ammunition and other war-like store caches by both the communities on either side of the ridges, officials said.

The weapons cache was probably being built up by insurgents for trying to strike in each other’s area.

Army columns at Sagolmang in Imphal East were tasked to carry out extensive surveillance and multiple coordinated search operations on the ridges. The operations were aimed at recovering maximum war-like stores and disrupting any attempts of firing or arson by insurgents and miscreants.