Imphal : An arms cache hidden by miscreants has been detected and recovered in a joint operation by the security forces at a village in Manipur’s Churachandpur district on Sunday, a defense wing press statement said. The joint operation was carried out by the personnel of the Assam Rifles and Indian army near village Gelmol, Churachandpur district, the epicenter of the ongoing ethnic violence between the Kukis and Meiteis that started on May 3.

A total of 7 weapons along with ammunition and explosives including one M4 Assault Rifle (without magazine), one 9mm Pistol (with Magazine), one Sten machine gun, one 9mm Country made Pistol (with magazine ), one 0.22 mm Country made Pistol (with magazine ), locally improvised mortars, ammunition and war like stores have been recovered in the operation, the statement said.

Acting on specific intelligence regarding a cache of war-like stores and recovered arms, ammunition, and explosives near Village Gelmol, Churachandpur District, Manipur, a team of Assam Rifles and Indian Army launched the search operation on 27 Aug 2023.

This is the first time that such sophisticated weapons and explosives have been recovered from the Churachandpur district since the ethnic violence erupted between the Kukis and Meiteis on May 3 that cost the lives of over 150 individuals.

A defense wing press statement issued here on Sunday states that the recovered items have been handed over to Churachandpur Police Station, the statement added. In the communal carnage over 60000 people were displaced.