Armed Kangleipak Communist Party members stormed a police checkpoint in Manipur’s Thoubal district, stealing a substantial arsenal of firearms and ammunition. Armed with contemporary weapons, a gang of about thirty terrorists overran the police officers stationed at the Kakmayai outpost, capturing three AK rifles, six Self-Loading Rifles (SLRs), and a significant amount of ammunition. Upon learning of the occurrence, local police immediately began a search and arrested Hijam Ningthem Singh, 49, a KCP cadre.
Of the nine guns taken during the attack, police found three AK rifles and five SLRs in the foothills of Ngamukhong by Sunday afternoon. A KCP hideout in Langathel Chingkhong was recovered as a result of later combing operations in the neighborhoods of Ningel, Malom, Toubul, and Langathel. The authorities retrieved grenades, 48 live rounds of Insas and AK ammo, and other military gear, including helmets and bulletproof jackets.
Arms theft has reportedly been a persistent issue in Manipur, particularly since the ethnic riots that erupted on May 3, 2023, during which over 6,000 firearms were stolen from police stations. N. Biren Singh, the chief minister of Manipur, has urged the robbers to give back the stolen weapons and threatened to take legal action if they don’t.
