Imphal, July 15
In a series of joint operations in Manipur, the Army and other Central and state security forces have arrested ten hardcore militants of different outfits and recovered 35 different types of arms, 11 Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), a large cache of ammunition and other war-like stores from five districts, officials said on Tuesday.
Manipur Police also arrested six more militants of different outfits during the past 24 hours from Bishnupur, Thoubal and Imphal West districts.
A Defence spokesman said that the intelligence-based, coordinated joint operations resulted in the arrest of ten militants of various hill and Valley-based banned extremist outfits.
He said joint operations were conducted during the past few days in the five valley and hill districts of Kangpokpi, Bishnupur, Tengnoupal, Imphal West and Imphal East. The majority of the arms -- 18 weapons comprising one 5.56 mm Insas Rifle, one .303 Rifle, five Bolt Action Rifles, three Single Barrel Rifles, two Pull Mech Rifles and six Improvised Mortars, ammunition and war-like stores -- were recovered from the mountainous Kangpokpi district.
The Army, during the operations, used specialised resources like explosive detection dogs. Army and Assam Rifles formations under the Spear Corps launched a series of operations in coordination with Manipur Police, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).