Imphal: A joint team of state and central security forces arrested an alleged cadre of the banned Kuki National Front (KNF) during a special operation along the Manipur-Assam border on Tuesday, police said on Wednesday.
The accused, identified as Md. Abdulla Hussain (22) of Mullargao in Manipur’s Jiribam district, was apprehended near Nungkhal Bridge under the jurisdiction of Jiribam Police Station following specific intelligence inputs. Security agencies had received information that armed miscreants were allegedly intimidating local residents by displaying firearms in the area.
During the operation, the joint team recovered a country-made .32 calibre pistol, a magazine, and six live rounds of ammunition from Hussain’s possession. He was subsequently handed over to the concerned police station along with the seized items for further legal action.
Based on information obtained during his interrogation, security forces launched a follow-up search operation in the general area of Tamei and adjoining locations along the IT Road under Tamei Police Station in Tamenglong district.
The operation led to the recovery of a sizeable cache of arms and ammunition, including three carbine machine guns with magazines, two .32 calibre pistols with magazines, one AK-47 assault rifle, three lathod guns, two barrel-loaded guns, 82 live rounds of ammunition, and a bulletproof (BP) jacket.
Police said investigations are underway to determine the origin of the recovered weapons, identify those involved in concealing them, and establish their intended use.
Security forces have intensified surveillance and continue search operations in the surrounding hill areas to prevent any further unlawful activities and maintain peace. Authorities have also urged the public to avoid spreading unverified information and rely only on official sources.