3 insurgent camps busted, weapons seized, one arrested in Manipur

Imphal: Security forces busted three insurgent camps, recovered a large cache of firearms, and arrested a member of a banned outfit in southern Manipur during the past 24 hours, police said on Tuesday.

Acting on a tip-off, a joint team from central and state security forces launched the first phase of an anti-insurgency operation in the Patsoi Part IV area under the Patsoi police station in Imphal West district.

They arrested Naorem Thembung, 24, an active cadre of the banned Kangleipak Communist Party - People's War Group and a resident of Luker Mayai Leikai, Imphal West.

Based on information gathered during his on-the-spot interrogation, the law enforcement teams conducted cordon and search operations at three different locations in Bishnupur and the adjoining Churachandpur district.

During the second phase of the operation, security forces recovered several weapons from the Nepali Basti area under the Churachandpur police station in Churachandpur district.

These included two single-barreled rifles, one country-made mortar locally called pompi, two country-made grenades, three country-made shells, eight country-made mortar bombs, fifteen empty AK-47 cases, twenty-five live rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, and two wood-piercing shells.

In the Keipha Road area under the Moirang police station in Bishnupur district, the security forces seized one .303 sniper rifle with a magazine, one telescope, one country-made Sten gun, two single-barreled rifles, one .32 country-made pistol with a magazine, two bulletproof pouches, five bulletproof plates, and one rubber tube.

During the fourth and final phase of the operation, the security forces recovered weapons and equipment from Phubala Mamang Pat under Moirang police station, Bishnupur district.

These included one INSAS light machine gun with a magazine, one SBBL gun, one Chinese hand grenade, five live rounds of 5.56mm INSAS ammunition, five ballistic cartridges, six 12 bore cartridges, three .303 round chargers, one tube launching cylinder, one Baofeng handheld radio set, three bulletproof helmets, four bulletproof plates, and one rubber tube.