Credit: Manipur police
Guwahati: In what was termed as another success towards disarmament in strife-torn Manipur, security forces recovered 203 sophisticated weapons and 30 IEDs from four Kuki-dominated districts in the past 48-hours.
Manipur police said based on intelligent inputs, joint teams of police and central forces recovered the weapons from various places in Churachandpur, Kangpokpi, Tengnoupal and Chandel districts.
"Most of these weapons were looted from the security forces during the conflict involving the Meitei and the Kukis. Some were, however, locally made or procured," a police officer in Chandel told DH on Friday.
The recovered weapons included 21 INSAS rifles, 11 AK series rifles, 26 SLRs, two snipers, three carbines, three grenade launchers, 30 IEDs, 10 grenades and others.
The forces had similarly recovered over 300 such weapons from five Meitei-dominated districts in the valley on June 13 and 14. Those weapons were also looted from the security forces during the conflict in 2023.
The security forces intensified drive in search of the looted weapons after President's Rule was promulgated in Manipur in February.
More than 6,000 weapons were looted from the security forces, both in the valley and in the hills. But more than 2,000 weapons have still remained missing, police officials said.
"We hope the two major recoveries in the valley and in the hills will restore the sense of security among the people. But our drive for the remaining weapons will continue," said an official.
Truce with Kuki rebels
Amid efforts to resolve the conflict involving the Meitei and the Kuki communities, at least four organisations representing the Meitei, Thadou tribe and Nagas wrote a letter to Home Minister Amit Shah seeking abrogation of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with the Kuki rebel groups. The organisations are: Indigenous People's Forum, Manipur, Thadou Inpi Manipur, Meitei Alliance and Foothills Naga Co-Ordination Committee.
They alleged involvement of the Kuki rebel groups in the attacks on the Meiteis.
At least 25 Kuki rebel groups have been under the SoO since 2008 but the same has not been extended since February.
Organisations representing the Meiteis have been demanding abrogation of the agreements for restoration of the peace in the state. More than 260 people have died and over 60,000 others have been displaced in the since May 2023.