IMPHAL :With the recovery of another 57 arms and 318 pieces of ammunition during the last 24 hours, security forces in Manipur have so far recovered 868 sophisticated and automatic arms and 11,518 pieces of ammunition that were looted from the police and various other establishments during the ethnic riots that broke out on May 3, a top official said on Wednesday. Security advisor to the Manipur government, Kuldiep Singh, said that 57 arms, 318 pieces of ammunition, and five bombs have been recovered from the area of Porompat Police Station in Imphal East and Sugnu Police Station in Kakching districts of Manipur during the last 24 hours.
Talking to the media, Singh said that curfew was relaxed for 12 hours in five valley districts and for 10 hours and eight hours in neighbouring hill districts. There is no curfew in six other hill districts, including Tamenglong, Noney, Senapati, Ukhrul, and Kamjong. Movement of vehicles through the National Highway-37 (Imphal-Jiribam) carrying essential items was ensured. A defence spokesman said that the security forces launched joint combing operations in hill and valley areas across Manipur to dominate sensitive areas and recover snatched weapons and ammunition. Locals in possession of such weapons are being urged to surrender them to the security forces for the sake of peace and harmony, he said.
Media reports claimed that thousands of different types of arms and large quantities of ammunition were looted by mobs from many police stations and security camps after the riots broke out. Meanwhile, the Security Advisor said that the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) UG-2023 for entrance to MBBS and BDS courses was conducted in a peaceful manner on Tuesday at 22 centres and the attendance was normal. (IANS)
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