Assam Rifles seizes weapons, ammunition, war-like stores in Mizoram's Champhai

Aizawl: Assam Rifles seized a huge cache of firearms, ammunition and war-like stores during an operation in Mizoram's Champhai district, the paramilitary force said in a statement on Sunday.

Acting on intelligence input, the paramilitary force conducted a search operation at Saikumphai village in Champhai district and cordoned off a house on August 29, it said.

During the search operation, the team initially recovered one 12-bore rifle, one pistol, along with ammunition and explosives from the house, it said.

The team continued its search in the adjoining forest near the house and unearthed a hidden cache containing a large quantity of weapons, ammunition, explosives, and other war-like stores, it said.

The cache included one Heckler and Koch G3 assault rifle, two Springfield sniper rifles, two shotguns, one MA assault rifle, and two hand grenades, the statement said.

Besides, 75 live sniper rounds, 92 live .303 tracer rounds, 30 live 7.62mm rounds, 8 live twelve bore rounds, 2 fired twelve bore cases, 91 live 5.56mm rounds, and 1 each of live and fired 9mm round were also recovered during the search in the forest, it said.

The team also recovered 3 drums of Cordtex, materials for making improvised explosive devices, one cylindrical packet of explosives, and seven packets of PEK, two scopes, one bulletproof plate, three bulletproof jackets, and one belt, it said.

The owner of the house has also been apprehended, it said.

The seized arms, ammunition and war-like stores along with the accused were handed over to the state police at Dungtlang in Champhai district for further investigation, the statement added.