Thwarting the bid to smuggle arms from Nagaland to Manipur, security forces recovered weapons, arms, and ammunition on Monday morning. Acting upon specific intelligence inputs, a joint operation of the Assam Rifles and Kohima police was launched at 2 am. Two search parties of Assam Rifles spotted a passenger vehicle and kept it under surveillance. At 6 am, the teams jointly searched the vehicle and recovered two pistols with four magazines, ammunition, explosives, and other war-like stores.
Simultaneously, the Army launched a separate operation in Imphal East District of Manipur. During the search operation, two suspects were apprehended, and five weapons were recovered. The apprehended persons and recovered stores have been handed over to the local police station.
The successful operation by Assam Rifles and the police has foiled a major incident by inimical elements aiming to harm the security forces and government agencies deployed in Manipur.
In Manipur, security forces are facing challenges from women activists who are deliberately blocking routes and interfering in their operations. This interference hampers the timely response by security forces during critical situations, endangering lives and property. The Indian Army appeals to all sections of the population to support their endeavors in restoring peace.
It is worth noting that women activists have been impeding security force operations during both day and night time by blocking roads and disrupting the movement of logistics.
On Saturday, security forces apprehended 12 militants of the Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) outfit in Manipur’s Imphal East district. However, due to a mob of around 1,500 people, led by women and local leaders, surrounding the forces and preventing them from proceeding, all the militants were handed over to the local leaders. Among the militants was the self-styled Lt Col Moirangthem Tamba alias Uttam, who masterminded an ambush on the 6th battalion of the DOGRA in 2015.
The decision to hand over the militants was made considering the sensitivity of using force against large mobs and the potential casualties that could result from such action.
In videos released by defence sources, women were seen accompanying armed rioters on June 23 in Yaingangpokpi in Imphal East. The rioters even utilized an ambulance for transportation. On June 13, in Nungshung in Imphal East, a mob of women blocked the movement of forces before the arson began.
Security forces continue their efforts to maintain law and order in the region in the face of these challenges.
