80% of firearms looted during Ukhrul violence recovered: Manipur Police

Ukhrul: Sixteen firearms looted by a mob from the Ukhrul police station in Manipur were recovered, police said on Saturday.

Addressing a press conference, Inspector General (Operations) IK Muivah said during the clash between two villages on October 2, an agitated mob stormed into the police station and looted 20 firearms.

“With the cooperation of the security forces, Civil Society Organisations, and community leaders, 80 per cent of the weapons have now been recovered,” he said.

Efforts are underway to retrieve the remaining weapons, he said.

Among the arms recovered were 9mm pistols, INSAS rifles and AK-47 rifles, he added.

Muivah said the situation in the district was under control, and security forces, including the Manipur Rifles, Assam Rifles and BSF, were keeping a close watch with the cooperation of leaders of the two villages.

“This is something unprecedented, noteworthy and praiseworthy for all those who have played a very positive role in restoring normalcy,” he said.

Assam Rifles’ officer Sanjeev Singh said the situation has been brought under control with “minimal use of force or no use of force”.

“Jointly Assam Rifles, BSF and the police have ensured that no more violent incident takes place. CSOs have played a great role. We want to appeal that we are in a de-escalation phase and we should keep de-escalating the situation,” he said.

Four people were killed and 20 others injured in a gunfight that broke out between two groups, both belonging to the Naga community but two different villages, on October 2 over cleaning a disputed land in the town as part of ‘Swachhata Abhiyan’.

Prohibitory orders were imposed and mobile internet services were suspended in the town after the clash.