In a major boost to ongoing peace efforts in violence-hit Manipur, the Indian Army, in close coordination with Assam Rifles, Manipur Police, CRPF, and BSF, has apprehended 29 insurgent cadres and seized 28 weapons during a series of joint intelligence-based operations conducted from May 13 to May 18, 2025. The operations spanned multiple volatile districts, including Churachandpur, Thoubal, Bishnupur, Kakching, Senapati, Imphal East, and Imphal West.
The recovered cache includes automatic rifles, pistols, grenades, improvised mortars, large quantities of ammunition, and other warlike stores. Visuals from the operation show a display of the seized arms laid out on a green tablecloth bearing the Indian Army insignia, alongside personnel conducting search missions in forested terrain and documenting the evidence at police facilities.
This latest crackdown comes amid the ongoing ethnic conflict that erupted in Manipur in 2023 following a controversial “Tribal Solidarity March” in Churachandpur. The unrest has resulted in over 260 fatalities, mass displacement, and widespread destruction of homes and public property. Armed violence and the illegal proliferation of sophisticated weapons have continued to plague the state, despite periodic curfews and administrative interventions.
Local law enforcement played a critical role in the operation, with notable handovers of arrested individuals and recovered materials taking place at Kakching Police Station. Officials confirmed that all detainees and seized items have been transferred to Manipur Police for further legal proceedings.
This operation builds on a similar effort in October 2024, when 26 high-grade weapons, including M16 rifles, were recovered in Imphal East and Churachandpur. The repeated discovery of such advanced arms points to an alarming trend of militarization within local conflict zones.
Security officials stressed the importance of inter-agency coordination in tackling insurgency and maintaining law and order. “The success of these joint operations reflects the commitment of all involved forces to restore peace and protect civilians,” a senior Army official stated.
As Manipur continues to navigate a complex path toward reconciliation and stability, such decisive security actions underscore the resolve of Indian forces to neutralize threats, dismantle militant infrastructure, and promote lasting peace in the region.
