Two arrested, arms and ammunition recovered in Manipur operations

Security forces arrested two persons and seized arms and ammunition in separate operations in Manipur’s Imphal East district, underscoring the persistent law-and-order challenges facing the state, police said on Saturday.

In the first operation, a joint security team arrested Thoudam Ranjan Singh (41) from the vicinity of his residence at Leimakhong Mapal Mamang Leikai on Thursday. During a search conducted as part of the operation, nine cartridges of 9mm ammunition were recovered from his possession, according to an official police statement.

In a separate incident on Friday, security personnel arrested Karam Mani Meitei (35) from his residence at Thongju Part-II, Pichu Lampak Ningombam Leirak. A 9mm pistol along with a magazine was seized during the search, the statement added.

Police said both arrests were carried out following specific intelligence inputs and are part of ongoing intensified operations aimed at recovering illegal weapons and curbing unlawful activities in sensitive areas of the district.

The seizures come amid continuing security concerns in Manipur, where sporadic violence, arms proliferation, and ethnic tensions have posed serious challenges to maintaining public order over the past several months. Authorities have stepped up area domination, search operations, and intelligence-led actions to prevent escalation and restore stability.

Officials said investigations are underway to ascertain the source of the seized weapons and to determine whether the arrested individuals have links to any armed groups or recent incidents of violence. Security forces reiterated their commitment to sustaining coordinated operations across vulnerable districts to improve the overall security situation in the state.