Seven improvised explosive devices (IEDs) weighing 28.5 kg were found by the army and the police in a joint operation in Manipur, the army said in a statement today. The IEDs were defused by army engineers, the army said.
The large quantity of IEDs was “recovered in the hilly areas near Bongjang and Itham villages in Imphal East district” during a search operation involving the army’s explosives detection dogs.
The recovery has prevented a major disaster and saved precious lives, the army said.
This was the second big haul of IEDs in Manipur in the last three months. The army had recovered and defused 33 kg of IEDs in the hilly areas of Saichang in Imphal East district on July 20.
The army in the statement said the swift response in sync with the Manipur Police was a fine example of good coordination among the security forces. The joint operation also ensured safety and security in the area, sending a strong message to anti-national elements, the army said.
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Police sources said a message has been flashed to senior officers in Thoubal district about alleged infiltration from Myanmar. They said the security forces are on high alert to prevent any attacks.
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The Kuki tribes and the Meiteis have been fighting since May 2023 over a range of issues such as land rights and political representation.
There are many villages of the Kuki tribes in the hills surrounding the Meitei-dominated valley. The clashes between the Meiteis and the nearly two dozen tribes known as Kukis – a term given by the British in colonial times – who are dominant in some hill areas of Manipur, has killed over 220 people and internally displaced nearly 50,000.
The general category Meiteis want to be included under the Scheduled Tribes category, while the Kukis who share ethnic ties with people in neighbouring Myanmar’s Chin State and Mizoram want a separate administration carved out of Manipur, citing discrimination and unequal share of resources and power with the Meiteis.
