Huge cache of arms and ammunition seized in Manipur, 3 arrested

An RPG launcher and shell, an M-16 UBGL and various AK variants were among a huge cache of arms and ammunition seized in Manipur's Imphal East district on Sunday, police said.

A UNLF militant and two others were arrested for allegedly concealing the weapons inside a 500-litre water tank buried underneath a cowshed, a police officer said.

Acting on a tip-off, police commandos conducted a door-to-door search in Huikap Awang Leikai Chonga Loukol in Andro police station area in the afternoon, when one person suspiciously tried to run away on seeing the law enforcers, he said.

The police personnel chased the man and nabbed him. He turned out to be a 43-year-old United National Liberation Front (UNLF) insurgent identified as L Prafullo Singh, the officer said. Based on information provided by him, a 500-litre plastic water tank buried underneath a cowshed was dug out and a large quantity of arms and ammunition was found in it, he said.

Thirteen AK-56 rifles, a rocket propelled grenade (RPG) launcher and shell, one AK-81 rifle with three magazines, an AK-86 rifle with three magazines, one M-16 rifle with a magazine, one M-16 A-4 under barrel grenade launcher (UBGL) with a magazine, 200 cartridges of 7.62x39 mm calibre and 10 cartridges of 5.56 mm calibre were seized, the officer said.

Two other persons, identified as L Kumar Singh and W Tompok Singh, were also arrested for allegedly helping the militant in concealing the weapons, he added.