Manipur: Underground hideout busted, stash of weapons recovered

Imphal: A significant cache of arms, ammunition, and explosives was recovered after busting a hideout during an operation in the southern Wangoo Chairen Kakching areas adjoining Churachandpur district of Manipur on Thursday.

Officials said, acting on specific intelligence inputs related to the presence of an underground hideout, the Kakching district police in collaboration with the central forces launched a joint search operation at around 6 am on Thursday.

The operation, conducted in the foothills of Chairen Khunou hills under the Wangoo police station in the Kakching district adjoining Churachandpur district, led to the busting of an underground hideout and the discovery of a large quantity of war-like stores.

Among the items recovered were an Assault Rifle, a 9 mm Pistol with an empty magazine, an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) 5kg (approx.), and two.36 High Explosive Grenades, a Smoke Shell (CS), a Tear Smoke Grenade, one PEK (polyether ketone) Stick with fuse & detonator, one wire 3 meters (approx.), two .303 empty cases, a Blank Cartridge, a helmet, a Bullet Proof Vest, and a pair of Jungle Boots.

Security sources described the recovery as “substantial” in light of ongoing security threats in this strife state.

The recovered arms and ammunition have been handed over to the concerned police station.