Manipur Crackdown Success: 328 Illegal Firearms & 10,600 Rounds Seized Amid Rising Unrest

Massive Arms Seizure in Manipur Signals Renewed Security Offensive

Imphal, Manipur | June 14, 2025 —
In a sweeping crackdown that marks one of the largest single-day arms recoveries in recent months, security forces operating in Manipur confiscated a staggering cache of illegal weapons—328 firearms and over 10,600 rounds of ammunition—during overnight search operations conducted between June 13 and 14. The operation, conducted in the outer peripheries of five volatile valley districts—Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur, Thoubal, and Kakching—was executed based on precise intelligence inputs pointing to stockpiled weapons in civilian areas.

According to a detailed statement issued by Manipur Police on Saturday, the joint security effort was the result of coordinated action by the state police, Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), the Indian Army, and the Assam Rifles (AR). The operation’s magnitude and the volume of recovered armaments indicate a significant breakthrough in the ongoing effort to demilitarize restive regions and restore the rule of law amid enduring ethnic and political unrest in the state.

“The operations were launched during the intervening night of June 13 and 14, 2025, based on specific intelligence inputs suggesting the presence of hidden weapons in these areas,” read the official police communique.

Composition of the Recovered Arsenal

The recovered arsenal included military-grade assault rifles, automatic weapons, explosives, and mortars. Specifically:

151 Self-Loading Rifles (SLRs)
65 INSAS Rifles
73 Assorted Rifles
12 Light Machine Guns (LMGs)
6 AK-Series Rifles
5 Carbine Guns
2 MP5 Submachine Guns
2 Amogh Rifles
1 AR-15 Rifle
6 Pistols
2 Flare Guns
1 Mortar
2 Barrels (likely explosive projectors or heavy gun parts)

This diverse and dangerous cache was supported by a massive stockpile of live ammunition, totaling over 10,600 rounds. These included:

3,534 SLR rounds
2,186 INSAS rounds
2,252 .303 rounds
407 Amogh rounds
234 AK-series rounds
20 rounds of 9mm pistol ammunition

Additionally, forces seized 591 assorted magazines, 10 hand grenades, 3 lathodes (local projectile launchers), 7 detonators, and 3 para rounds, highlighting the potential scale of damage these arms could have inflicted had they been deployed in violent actions.

Strategic Context and Security Implications

The overnight success underscores a critical moment in Manipur’s prolonged conflict, especially against the backdrop of recent instability following the arrest of five members of the radical Meitei youth group Arambai Tengol, including their senior leader Asem Kanan. Their arrest had triggered immediate political ramifications and fresh protest calls, prompting fears of renewed escalations.

Speaking on the significance of the seizure, Lhari Dorjee Lhatoo, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) of Manipur, reinforced the state’s resolve to restore peace:

“Manipur Police is committed to maintaining peace and security and urges the public to report any suspicious activities or illegal arms hoarding. Operations like this will continue in a focused and sustained manner.”

Background: Ethnic Violence and the Arms Spiral

This latest seizure is not an isolated development. It fits into a larger timeline of militarization and lawlessness since the outbreak of ethnic clashes in Manipur on May 3, 2023, which resulted in mass looting of government armouries. Over 6,000 weapons and lakhs of rounds of ammunition were stolen in the aftermath of the violence, arming both Meitei and Kuki-Zo factions.

Manipur’s socio-political fabric remains fractured between the hill-dwelling tribal Kuki-Zo community and the predominantly valley-based Meitei majority. The unchecked proliferation of arms only deepened the crisis. Despite government appeals for voluntary surrender of weapons—including a public deadline issued by newly appointed Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla in February 2025—compliance has been partial at best.

On February 27, the final day of Bhalla’s seven-day ultimatum, Arambai Tengol surrendered 307 weapons. However, Kuki-Zo insurgent groups openly defied the directive, stating they would not disarm until their political demand for a separate administration was granted—an impasse that has further complicated New Delhi’s approach to a negotiated peace.

Strategic Fallout, Political Tremors, and Civilian Response to Manipur’s Arms Crackdown

Imphal, Manipur | June 14, 2025 —
The seizure of 328 firearms and over 10,600 rounds of ammunition in the five valley districts of Manipur on the intervening night of June 13-14 has not only rattled the ground beneath insurgent networks but also sent shockwaves through the state’s fragile political landscape. As the operation continues to unfold, its implications are being felt across law enforcement, regional political establishments, national security circles, and among common citizens divided along a tense ethnic fault line.

Intelligence That Sparked the Operation

According to senior officials from the Manipur Police and security establishment, the crackdown was a result of “weeks-long human and electronic surveillance,” culminating in actionable intelligence that pointed to the stockpiling of sophisticated weapons in concealed zones across five districts: Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur, Thoubal, and Kakching.

An official from the Intelligence Bureau (IB), speaking on condition of anonymity, stated:

“What made this operation possible was sustained triangulation of multiple intelligence inputs. We had drone visuals, cell tower location intercepts, and local informant testimonies from civilians fearful of their neighbourhoods turning into militant bunkers.”

This intelligence was shared in real-time across joint command centres set up between the Manipur Police, Assam Rifles, Indian Army, and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs). According to sources, the operation’s precision and efficiency were hallmarks of a “new era of joint command control,” aligning with Union Home Minister **Amit Shah’s directive for integrated operations in disturbed regions.”

Political Ripples: Home Ministry’s Eyes on Imphal

The operation has intensified political scrutiny in Manipur’s capital. Just days prior, both former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh and Rajya Sabha MP Leishemba Sanajaoba were summoned to New Delhi by Home Minister Amit Shah for high-level consultations on the deteriorating situation in the state, particularly the rising influence of radical youth groups and the failure of the state apparatus to enforce arms control.

This is the same week that saw Asem Kanan, a key leader of the radical Arambai Tengol group, arrested by a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team at Imphal’s Bir Tikendrajit International Airport on June 8. His detention, along with four other volunteers of the group, triggered a statewide shutdown that was later suspended during the leaders’ visit to Delhi.

The timing of the arms crackdown, say political analysts, was “deliberately synchronized” with these high-level visits to demonstrate that the Centre and state security forces were taking aggressive action to restore order.

A Message to Militant Networks and Armed Groups

The scale and sophistication of weapons recovered paints a troubling picture. With military-grade rifles such as INSAS, AK-series, SLRs, LMGs, and even anti-aircraft grade mortars found hidden in residential and semi-urban locations, security officials warn of a deepening militarization among civilian groups.

“The recovery of MP5s and AR-15s—a weapon not standard issue even for most Indian forces—indicates the possible involvement of trans-border arms networks,” noted a counter-insurgency analyst attached to the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA). “This is not just looted police inventory; these are war-grade imports that need to be traced.”

The Home Ministry is now reportedly considering invoking provisions under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against individuals and organizations found to be stockpiling such weaponry.

Community Sentiments: Valley Relief, Hills’ Defiance

While many residents in the Meitei-dominated valley districts have cautiously welcomed the crackdown, citing safety concerns and a desire for normalcy, Kuki-Zo groups in the hills remain wary, with some accusing the state machinery of selectively targeting one side of the ethnic divide.

A youth activist from Thoubal, who requested anonymity, told local reporters:

“People have stopped sending children to school because of the presence of arms in our locality. This operation gives us a little hope. We want a future without bunkers and ambushes.”

In contrast, Kuki-Zo civil society organizations, while officially silent on the latest recovery, continue to push for a separate administration and have refused to surrender weapons, arguing that such arms are for “self-defence” in what they perceive to be a hostile administrative environment.

Arambai Tengol: At the Epicentre

The Arambai Tengol group remains central to the current unrest. Though the outfit surrendered 307 weapons in February 2025 in response to Governor Ajay Bhalla’s disarmament appeal, many within the security establishment now believe this was only a partial measure—possibly a tactic to buy time.

The arrest of Asem Kanan has weakened the group’s external outreach, but intelligence sources indicate that underground cells of the group remain active, continuing to mobilize youth through encrypted communication and regional digital platforms.

Moving Forward: A Sustained Campaign or a One-Time Sweep?

ADGP Lhari Dorjee Lhatoo assured that the latest arms recovery is only the beginning of a series of coordinated, intelligence-backed operations.

“We are not here to conduct showpiece raids. Our mission is to dismantle the armed ecosystem that has taken root in our towns and villages.”

Security analysts believe that unless the recovered arms are followed by effective prosecution, rehabilitation of surrendered militants, and reconciliation dialogue, the operation risks becoming another temporary flare of control in an otherwise chronic conflict.

National Security Coordination and the Deep Roots of Manipur’s Arms Crisis

Imphal, Manipur | June 14, 2025 —
As the scale of the arms seizure reverberates through Manipur and New Delhi, attention is increasingly turning to the mechanisms of national security coordination that made such an operation possible. The recovery of military-grade weaponry—including AK-series rifles, AR-15s, MP5s, mortars, and over 10,000 rounds of ammunition—underscores not just a localized insurgency problem but a multi-layered national security threat with geopolitical implications.

A Multi-Agency National Security Grid

Following the unprecedented ethnic violence that erupted in Manipur on May 3, 2023, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) initiated a restructured security framework in the state. The result was a joint intelligence grid involving:

Manipur Police Intelligence Branch
Military Intelligence (MI)
Research and Analysis Wing (RAW)
Intelligence Bureau (IB)
Assam Rifles Field Surveillance Units
Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Intelligence Cell

In particular, Operation Samasya, launched covertly in early 2024, was a unified surveillance mission aimed at tracking arms routes from international sources through Mizoram and Myanmar into central Manipur. According to a leaked internal intelligence document, over 67 illegal arms shipments were intercepted in the last 18 months alone.

“The success of this week’s arms seizure operation shows the national grid is now working like a living organism—detection, verification, and tactical execution are fully synchronized,” said a senior MHA official stationed at the Unified Command Headquarters in Imphal.

The Army’s Role: Behind-the-Scenes Coordinators

Though the operation was conducted jointly, sources reveal that the Indian Army and Assam Rifles acted as both field executioners and strategic planners. An Army colonel posted in Leimakhong Military Station said that the Armed Forces are no longer operating under the assumption that insurgency in Manipur is confined to hill-based guerilla warfare:

“We are now confronting a hybrid model: insurgents, radicalised youth wings, political complicity, and a civilian population fractured by fear and misinformation. The battlefield is urban and the weapons are sophisticated.”

The colonel confirmed that thermal imaging drones, ground-penetrating radar, and sniffer teams were employed before the raid to ensure minimal civilian casualties and no collateral damage.

RAW and Border Surveillance: External Links Being Traced

According to RAW inputs, arms originating from China, Myanmar, and Bangladesh have increasingly been routed into Manipur over the past two years. The weapons are often reassembled from kits or smuggled in parts through forest trails along the Moreh-Tamu border, and stored in the Churachandpur–Imphal corridor.

One highly placed RAW source described the situation as “an unacknowledged proxy arms race,” with various tribal militias—both Meitei and Kuki-Zo—acquiring military-grade arms in anticipation of political realignment or civil war.

“A major concern is the stockpiling of drone parts, anti-personnel mines, and communication jammers. We’ve already intercepted such items en route to Imphal. This is no longer just about small arms,” the source warned.

A Chronology of Arms Buildup Since 2023 Violence

The arms crisis in Manipur cannot be seen in isolation from the ethnic violence that broke out in 2023. Here’s a brief timeline of how the arms buildup unfolded:

May–June 2023: Over 6,000 weapons and lakhs of rounds of ammunition looted from state armouries across Manipur following mass riots.
August 2023: Meitei group Arambai Tengol emerges publicly as an armed cultural outfit; Kuki-Zo groups begin coordinated defense mobilization in the hills.
October 2023–January 2024: Unverified drone footage shows arms movement in dense forests; RAW confirms external involvement from Myanmar-based arms smugglers.
February 2025: After Governor Ajay Bhalla’s disarmament deadline, 307 weapons were surrendered by Arambai Tengol; however, most hill-based outfits refused to comply.
June 2025: Massive arms recovery in five valley districts, raising questions over incomplete disarmament and continuing shadow networks.

New Tools of Warfare: Urban Militancy and Underground Tech

One alarming development noted by national intelligence operatives is the digital sophistication of insurgent groups. From encrypted messaging apps to crowdfunding through crypto wallets, the old methods of warfare are rapidly being replaced by new-age tactics.

A cybersecurity expert attached to the National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) explained:

“Arms networks are no longer just physical. There are now tech cells in Imphal and Churachandpur operating as digital arsenals—running encrypted command structures and spreading propaganda. Arms are also purchased on darknet markets using stolen Indian identity credentials.”

This revelation has led to the inclusion of cyberforensics in all future arms-related operations in the region.

Human Intelligence: The Invisible Heroes

Behind the success of the June 13–14 operation lies the bravery of local informants, many of whom risk their lives to provide actionable intelligence. Manipur Police confirmed that over a dozen anonymous community sources helped trace hidden compartments, suspicious vehicle movements, and unauthorised gatherings across the five districts.

To protect these informants, the police have activated a Witness Protection Program under the central Internal Security Modernisation Scheme, offering relocation, anonymity, and financial support.

Life Among Guns – Community Trauma, Youth Radicalization, and the Struggle for Peace in Manipur

Imphal, Manipur | June 14, 2025 —
The recovery of over 328 firearms and 10,600 rounds of ammunition in a single coordinated search across Manipur’s valley districts has not only exposed the scale of arms infiltration in the region, but also reignited difficult questions about the psychosocial consequences of living in a militarized society, where violence, displacement, and fear have become normalized.

This part of the series examines the social and psychological trauma, youth radicalization, and post-conflict peace-building challenges faced by Manipur’s war-weary communities—especially in areas where weapons were found hidden in schools, granaries, religious buildings, and even under children’s playgrounds.

When Weapons Replace Books: A Generation in Crisis

In Imphal East’s Wangkhei village, just 50 meters from one of the largest arms cache sites, a local school had recently resumed operations after nearly a year of conflict-related closure. But days before students were to return, automatic rifles were found buried under the school’s water tank.

“The children were asking me why there were guns in their schoolyard,” said Shyamashree Devi, a teacher at the government primary school. “What do we tell them? That they’re growing up in a battlefield?”

Psychologists working with the State Child Protection Society have documented a steep rise in cases of childhood PTSD, anxiety, and dissociative behavior across Imphal and Bishnupur. Their study shows:

67% of children between ages 7 and 14 in conflict zones had witnessed or heard gunfire.
32% had directly seen dead bodies or injured individuals during the 2023–2024 riots.
15% had family members injured or killed due to ethnic violence.

The National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, has now deployed a Mobile Trauma Response Team in Manipur to counsel families, students, and former militants.

Youth and Radicalization: A War Economy of the Mind

The presence of weapons has created what experts describe as a “war economy of the mind”—where young people, lacking employment and education opportunities, are lured into militancy by power, peer pressure, or survival.

One 19-year-old former Arambai Tengol volunteer, under anonymity, revealed:

“They gave us rifles and told us we were the last defenders of our community. At first it felt like power. Then it became prison. I couldn’t go back. I couldn’t get out.”

According to data from the Manipur Social Welfare Department, over 5,000 youth in the age group 16–25 are believed to have been recruited by Meitei and Kuki-Zo armed groups between May 2023 and May 2025. Of these, nearly 40% are unemployed, while 70% have dropped out of school.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has approved a ₹150 crore Deradicalization and Reintegration Package, modeled on the Jammu & Kashmir surrender policy, offering:

Counseling and de-radicalization training
Monthly stipends during reintegration
Skill development in agriculture, digital services, and mechanical trades
Priority placement in government vocational schemes (PM-Kaushal Vikas Yojana)

Displacement and Daily Insecurity: What the Arms Crackdown Left Behind

The crackdown, though praised for dismantling illegal arms networks, has also raised concerns among civilian populations living in and around the search zones. In Thoubal, Kakching, and Bishnupur districts, residents have reported:

Unannounced late-night searches
Temporary detentions for ID verification
Civilian injuries due to panic stampedes during operations

Many families in Meitei-majority areas say they are now reluctant to shelter displaced Kuki families fearing suspicion of harboring militants. In Churachandpur, several displaced Kukis have demanded a neutral third-party verification mechanism to ensure their safety during security checks.

“Even after the weapons are gone, fear remains. We are still divided, still watching each other with mistrust,” said Babina Laishram, a women’s rights activist from Imphal.

Local Peace Committees and the Search for Healing

In response to ongoing ethnic tension, the Governor of Manipur, Ajay Kumar Bhalla, has empowered 14 Community Peace Committees, each comprising equal representation from Meitei, Kuki, Pangal, and Naga groups. Their mandate includes:

Organizing inter-faith and inter-tribal dialogues
Facilitating weapon surrender through social pressure
Acting as observers during military operations
Recommending civic rebuilding plans and youth rehabilitation schemes

While many welcome these initiatives, some civil society leaders argue that more structural reforms are needed—especially in land access, political representation, and security personnel neutrality.

Women’s Role in Recovery and Vigilance

One often overlooked element in the arms crisis is the role of women’s groups. Organizations like the Meira Paibis (Torch Bearers) have conducted night patrols in Imphal, urging young boys to return home, and publicly shaming arms hoarders.

“We stopped two boys carrying rifles from entering the locality. We don’t want our sons to be soldiers in a war we did not start,” said Sumati Thounaojam, a Meira Paibi leader.

In Churachandpur, the Kuki Women’s Union has led reconciliation programs, distributing food, raising awareness about illegal arms, and engaging in silent marches for peace.

The Cost of Peace: Building Beyond the Crackdown

As security forces continue to recover weapons and intelligence cells track hidden stockpiles, the real challenge is not just military. It is moral, social, and political.

The legacy of armed ethnic strife, unless healed through truth, accountability, and reconciliation, risks becoming a generational curse. Without trust, no amount of arms seized will result in sustainable peace.

Intelligence, Strategy, and the Future of Counterinsurgency in Manipur and the Northeast

Imphal | June 14, 2025 —
The uncovering of 328 sophisticated firearms, over 10,600 rounds of live ammunition, grenades, mortars, and smuggled combat-grade supplies in Manipur’s valley districts has led to one of the largest peacetime domestic arms seizures in Indian history. But behind the scenes, the real war is being fought in shadows—through surveillance networks, drone reconnaissance, covert informants, and a vast digital trail.

This final segment in the five-part series delves into the multi-agency intelligence operations, satellite reconnaissance, national defense strategy shifts, and long-term counterinsurgency planning that powered the crackdown—and examines what lies ahead for Manipur and the Indian Northeast.

Inside the Intelligence Operation: From Tip-Off to Tactical Deployment

The success of the overnight arms raids conducted between June 13 and 14, 2025, across Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur, Thoubal, and Kakching districts was not a product of chance. According to highly placed sources within the Ministry of Home Affairs, the operation stemmed from three weeks of coordinated surveillance involving:

Signal intercepts by the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO)
Drone flyovers using FLIR (Forward-Looking Infrared) technology to detect heat signatures in suspected underground bunkers
Human Intelligence (HUMINT) inputs from double agents and surrendered insurgents
Data analysis of suspicious SIM card activations near suspected arms dump zones

“This was not just a police raid. This was a multi-tiered counterinsurgency operation led by a unified command structure with real-time coordination between the Army, CRPF, Assam Rifles, and state police,” said a senior official in Delhi who oversaw the final go-ahead for the operation.

Mapping the Weapons Trail: Satellite Eyes and Digital Footprints

A parallel investigation run by the Indian Army’s Military Intelligence (MI) and satellite imagery teams from the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) revealed a growing pattern of weapons smuggling from Myanmar via the porous Indo-Myanmar border.

The arms recovered in Manipur bore serial numbers and manufacturing patterns traceable to:

Black market suppliers in Chin and Sagaing regions of Myanmar
Defected arms from Myanmarese rebel groups like the People’s Defence Force (PDF) and Arakan Army
Older munitions stolen from Indian police and paramilitary depots since the 2023 ethnic riots

A confidential report submitted to the Home Ministry included thermal imaging maps, pinpointing over 70 suspected arms caches across the hills of Churachandpur, Moreh, and Senapati—still under surveillance.

CBI and NIA Investigations: Financial & Political Webs

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which arrested Arambai Tengol leader Asem Kanan on June 8, has now expanded its probe to explore financial trails involving hawala networks, crypto transactions, and NGO-linked funding channels allegedly connected to the procurement of advanced arms.

Meanwhile, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has begun interrogating arms suppliers, tracing Chinese-made weapons and Israeli-origin night-vision optics reportedly smuggled into the state. Officials suspect a growing syndicate involving ex-militants, cross-border operatives, and local political patrons.

India’s Counterinsurgency Shift: Lessons from Manipur

The Manipur arms crackdown is not just a local enforcement success—it is a national case study. The operation is now being modeled as the basis for India’s future Integrated Internal Security Doctrine, including:

Permanent Valley Surveillance Units (PVSUs) in Northeast hotspots
AI-enhanced drone monitoring of border and forest zones
A Unified Command Centre for Northeast Security (UCC-NE) headquartered in Guwahati
Revamped arms surrender and reintegration schemes under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs
Deployment of psychological operations (PsyOps) units to counter radical propaganda

Lt. Gen. D. S. Sandhu (Retd.), a defense analyst and former GOC-in-C, Eastern Command, said:

“What happened in Manipur could easily happen in Nagaland, Mizoram, or Assam. This was a wake-up call that insurgency is evolving—not vanishing. Our doctrine must evolve faster.”

The Road Ahead: Conflict Transformation, Not Just Conflict Control

Despite the operational success, security experts, sociologists, and humanitarian workers are aligned on one reality—peace will not come through seizures alone. The continued existence of insurgent ideologies, ethnic resentment, and lack of developmental parity still pose serious threats to stability.

Key recommendations from the Manipur Arms Review Panel (June 2025) include:

Setting up a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to address ethnic grievances
Expediting political talks with Kuki-Zo groups under international observers
Fast-tracking developmental aid and employment guarantees for youth in conflict zones
State-wide census and biometric registration to prevent further arms infiltration
Training community defense volunteers in nonviolent civil protection strategies

Conclusion: Manipur, A Test for Indian Federalism

The June 2025 crackdown has undeniably marked a turning point in India’s modern internal security history. But its long-term value lies not in numbers seized—but in lessons learned.

Can India transform an intelligence-led crackdown into a peace-led transformation? Can Manipur become the model for post-insurgency healing, or will it descend into another cycle of retaliation and repression?

As new bunkers are raided, new truths are unearthed—about arms, about identity, and about the fragility of peace in a land where the borderlines of ethnicity and nationhood remain bitterly contested.

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