Guwahati: In a major breakthrough, security forces and law enforcement agencies recovered 68 sophisticated weapons and a large quantity of ammunition from a rebel camp in Imphal West district during a joint operation over the past 24 hours. Four cadres of the United National Liberation Front (Pambei) faction, or UNLF (P), were also arrested. This faction had signed a ceasefire agreement with the central and state governments in November 2023.
Details of the Operation
Officials revealed that the UNLF (P) was planning to sell the weapons in an illegal arms market. Many of the recovered weapons are suspected to have been looted from state armouries during the peak of the ethnic conflict that began in May 2023. The haul includes 27 AK-series rifles, four M16 rifles, sniper rifles, carbines, shotguns, mortars, an RPG-7 launcher, an anti-drone jammer, and a huge cache of explosives, including grenades.
Manipur Police stated that a special joint operation with Assam Rifles and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was launched on Wednesday at Lamdeng under Lamsang Police Station. This followed intelligence about looted arms and ammunition being sold in the area. Security forces first apprehended two cadres—Heishnam Thomas Singh (29) and Arambam Tomtom Singh (29)—who were found in possession of one INSAS light machine gun (LMG), three INSAS LMG magazines, and 14 live rounds. They were attempting to sell these items.
During the operation, two associates—Ningthoujam Rakesh Singh and Chingakham Mahesh Singh—opened fire on the security forces, leading to a brief exchange of fire. They were also arrested. Imphal East Superintendent of Police Shivanand Surve said, “This is suspected to be stolen, and it is under the process of verification as to where it was looted from.”
Interrogation and Follow-Up Operations
The arrested UNLF (P) cadres disclosed during interrogation that they were acting on instructions from self-styled Lance Corporal Naorem Bijoy, alias Macha, of the UNLF (P). They admitted to involvement in earlier sales of arms and ammunition for money. In a follow-up operation, joint security forces discovered an unauthorized UNLF (P) camp at Lamdeng, where they recovered 29 weapons, including AK-series rifles, M-series rifles, pistols, and other firearms.
On Thursday morning, further search operations in the vicinity of the camp led to the recovery of heavy war-like stores and an additional 39 weapons, including AK-series rifles, M-series rifles, sniper rifles, carbines, shotguns, mortars, an RPG-7 launcher, an anti-drone jammer, and a large cache of explosives, including grenades.
Context of the Looted Weapons
More than 6,000 firearms were looted at the onset of the unrest in May 2023 by mobs from several police armouries, patrol teams, and the exhibit room of the state forensic laboratory. Approximately half of these looted weapons have been recovered so far.
