Imphal : A joint team of central and state security forces discovered and destroyed six suspected militant hideouts on Thursday in Phaitol Kuki village, located about 6 kilometres from the Jiribam district headquarters in Manipur, according to a report from the Manipur police control room on Friday.

The bunkers were dismantled as part of a follow-up operation after state security forces were attacked while responding to a blazing fire at a police outpost in Leingangpokpi village, Jiribam district, on Tuesday night.

Leingangpokpi village is about 6 km from the Jiribam district headquarters, and Phaitol Kuki village falls under the Tousem sub-division of the Tamenglong district.

Both villages are separated by NH 37.  During routine search operations and area domination activities in the border areas of the hill and valley districts, the joint forces discovered and destroyed the six bunkers along the Phaitol village hill ridge in Tamenglong, near the Jiribam border. Although no arrests were made during the operation, a large number of empty bullet casings were recovered from the site.

The report added that the joint team has intensified its efforts to restore peace in the bordering areas of the Jiribam and Tamenglong districts.