In an alarming situation, a Road Opening Party (ROP) of the 3rd Assam Rifles seized as many as 45 IEDs planted by Kuki militants in between Bongyang village and Senam Village along national highway 102 under Tengnoupal Police station on Tuesday morning.
The ROP team initially came across 21 IEDs from a gunny sack. The remaining IEDs were recovered by a bomb disposal squad of the state police from two more gunny sacks. Wires measuring 100 ft were also recovered along NH-102. A Cortex wire of 800 meters and a wire coin were also uncovered and seized.
It is suspected that the IEDs were planted to carry out a serial bomb attack on the state forces. As per reports, the bombs were planted 50 feet apart from each gunny sack. The bomb disposal squad removed the IEDs and destroyed them at the AR camp in Tengnoupal district at around 5.10 pm.
Meanwhile, the Police Control Room of Manipur Police stated that the situation in the state was tense but under control with sporadic incidents of congregations of protesters during the last 24 hours.
Search operations and area domination were conducted by security forces in the fringe and vulnerable areas of Imphal West, Imphal East, Kakching, Thoubal, Bishnupur, Churachandpur and Tengnoupal district, it stated.
During the operations, one M16 Rifle with magazine, 10 M16 ammunitions (5.56 mm), three HE-36 hand grenades, one 51mm smoke bomb shell and one BP jacket along with two fibre plates were recovered from Bishnupur District, it mentioned.
It further stated that one 7.62mm SLR Rifle with magazine, one tear gas gun, one country made 9mm pistol with magazine, one country made Revolver pistol, thirty tear gas shells (rubber bullets), eight country made ‘pumpi’ guns, three SBBL guns, one Kg of Gunpowder, one Kg of Iron rod ammunitions and twenty-three local made bombs were recovered from Churachandpur district.
On Tuesday, the local women of Gamgiphai, Kangpokpi district detained one Muslim man and one Meitei woman at Gamgiphai, Kangpokpi. They were later handed over to Sekmai Police Station by security forces and further handed over to their families.
It stated that the movement of 447 and 242 vehicles along NH-37 and NH-2 respectively with essential items have been ensured. Strict security measures are taken up in all vulnerable locations and a security convoy is provided in sensitive stretches in order to ensure free and safe movement of the vehicles, it mentioned.
A total of 144 Nakas/Checkpoints were installed in different Districts of Manipur, both in the hill and the valley and Police detained 230 persons in connection with violations in different districts of the state, it stated.
It appealed to the general public not to believe in rumours and be aware of false videos. Any circulation of unfounded videos etc may be confirmed from the rumour free number 9233522822 of Central Control room, it stated. It further appealed to the public to return the looted arms, ammunition and explosives to the police or nearest security forces immediately.
