Manipur
Combing operation after looting arms at Yumnam Leikai.

Imphal: A group of armed youths looted three AK rifles and one INSAS rifle from a Village Defence Force (VDF) outpost in Manipur’s Imphal West district on Saturday afternoon.

The incident took place at the Toupokpi VDF outpost under the Singjamei police station.

The armed men, who came in four cars, overpowered the VDF personnel and fled the scene. The Singjamei police gave chase to one of the cars and arrested one of the miscreants at Kgakrabam Leikai under the same police station.

The looting of the VDF outpost comes at a time when the Manipur Police claimed that the combined security forces and police recovered 19 different weapons and ammunition in search operations in the Bishnupur district of Manipur on Friday.

The Manipur police in a statement said that security forces conducted search operations at various suspected areas of Bishnupur District and recovered 13 arms (09 – SLR, 02-GF Rifles and 02-SMC).

Four SLRs without magazines were also recovered from Heikrujam Canal, and two arms (one INSAS LMG and one AK 56) and ammunition were recovered near Ngaikhong Khunou foothills.

On Thursday, August 3, 2023, a mob looted the armoury at the headquarters of the 2nd India Reserve Battalion (IRB) located at Naranseina in Bishnupur district.

Officials said that more than 19,000 rounds of bullets of different calibres, an AK series assault rifle, three ‘Ghaatak’ rifles, 195 self-loading rifles, five MP-5 guns, 16 9mm pistols, 25 bulletproof jackets, 21 carbines, 124 hand grenades among others were looted by the mob.