Imphal, June 14, 2025 — In a major security operation, Manipur Police, along with Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), Indian Army, and Assam Rifles, recovered 328 firearms, including rifles, pistols, grenades, and significant ammunition, during coordinated intelligence-based raids across five districts of the Imphal Valley overnight from June 13 to June 14 .
Raid Overview & Items Recovered
The operation spanned the outskirts of Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur, Kakching, and Thoubal districts (livemint.com). According to ADGP Lhari Dorjee Lhatoo, among the weapons seized were:
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151 Self-Loading Rifles (SLRs)
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65 INSAS rifles
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73 other rifles
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5 carbine guns
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2 MP-5 submachine guns
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12 Light Machine Guns
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6 AK-series rifles
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2 Amogh rifles
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1 mortar
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6 pistols
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1 AR-15
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2 flare guns (livemint.com)
Additionally, authorities recovered 10 grenades, 7 detonators, and thousands of ammunition rounds across several calibres: SLR, INSAS, .303, AK, Amogh, and 9-mm (livemint.com).
Significance: Largest Single-Day Recovery
Officials have called this the “biggest single‑day recovery” of illegal arms in recent memory, underscoring a deliberate push to curb the flow of looted weapons used in the ongoing ethnic unrest (indianexpress.com). Since May 2023, over 6,000 weapons and 100,000+ rounds had been looted from police and military armouries during violent clashes between Meitei and Kuki communities (en.wikipedia.org).
Strategic Impact & Public Appeal
The Manipur Police described the raid as a significant success in ongoing efforts to restore normalcy and public safety (livemint.com). Authorities emphasized that such intelligence-driven missions will continue as long as the volatility in the valley persists.
Senior officers have appealed to citizens to stay alert and report suspicious individuals or activities. Public cooperation is being viewed as vital in preventing such arms from fueling renewed violence (freepressjournal.in).
Context: Continued Ethnic Conflict in Manipur
This arms sweep comes amid persistent ethnic tensions and civilian unrest, initially triggered on May 3, 2023, which have left more than 258 dead and 60,000+ displaced, prompting the imposition of President’s Rule in February 2025 (en.wikipedia.org).
What’s Next?
Security forces plan to maintain high-alert intelligence and targeted operations across remaining conflict zones. Additional raids are expected, and authorities say recovered weapons will be traced for forensic evidence in criminal investigations.
Disclaimer: This article reflects information publicly available as of June 14, 2025, drawn from official police statements and credible news reports. The situation remains fluid; developments or additional findings after this date may not be included here.
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