Imphal, March 27: Security forces in Manipur recovered a cache of weapons, including a 4 kg improvised explosive device (IED), following a brief exchange of fire with suspected Kuki militants in Churachandpur district.
The incident occurred around 11:40 pm on March 25, when militants reportedly opened fire from the Phouljang/Gothol area and adjoining hillocks. Stray rounds landed near a security forces camp in Phougakchao Awang Leikai, prompting an immediate retaliatory response. The exchange lasted for a short duration, with no casualties reported on either side.
From the early hours of March 26, joint teams launched search operations across the firing zones and nearby hill areas. In S Nabil and Loilamkot under Churachandpur police station, security personnel recovered two single-barrel rifles, five rounds of 12-bore ammunition, a handmade grenade, a PEK bomb, a cordex-initiated cylindrical IED weighing approximately 4 kg, two 40 mm bombs, two pompies and two 30 mm grenades.
In a parallel operation in Ukhrul district, forces dismantled 52 illegal bunkers located along the Mahadev Thoyee ridge and Zalengbung ridge. The action is part of ongoing efforts to clear fortified militant positions amid the ethnic unrest that has affected the state since 2023.
Security forces continue combing operations in surrounding hill areas, maintaining a heightened presence to prevent further incidents. Authorities have urged residents to avoid spreading unverified information and to rely on official updates.
The recovery highlights continuing security challenges in the region, where forces have intensified intelligence-based operations to dismantle insurgent networks and secure vulnerable zones.
