Major Arms Haul in Kangpokpi:

Joint Forces Seize Weapons Cache in Three-Day Counter-Insurgency Operation in Manipur

Report By Y-Trendz

IMPHAL, Manipur — June 26, 2026

In a significant breakthrough in the ongoing counter-insurgency campaign in the strife-torn state of Manipur, joint security forces have recovered a massive cache of arms, ammunition, and war-like stores

from the Kangpokpi district following a coordinated three-day operation that included an exchange of fire with suspected militants. The operation, which covered multiple villages across the district's hilly terrain, has been described by officials as one of the more substantial weapons seizures in recent months and a major blow to armed insurgent groups operating in the region.

The Operation: Three Days, Multiple Villages

The three-day operation was carried out between June 20 and June 22. Acting on specific intelligence inputs received regarding the presence of armed militants, a coordinated operation was launched on June 20 by Manipur Police, Rapid Action Force (RAF), CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) units of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and the Indian Army, in the villages of Leilon Vaiphei, Leilon Munlui, Molhoi, P Moulding, Leilon Khunou and adjoining locations.

The joint mission involved personnel from the Manipur Police, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Rapid Action Force (RAF), Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA), and the Indian Army. The multi-agency nature of the operation underscores the seriousness with which the Centre and the state government are approaching the persistent armed insurgency that has kept Manipur on edge for years, and with particular intensity since the ethnic violence that erupted in the state in May 2023.

The Haul: A Formidable Arsenal Uncovered

The weapons recovered during the operation paint a picture of a well-equipped militant network operating in the Kangpokpi hills. Security forces recovered 17 single/double barrel guns; 8 weapons comprising 2 AK-47 rifles, 1 M4 Carbine, 2 SLRs, 1 SKS rifle, and 1 improvised sniper .303 rifle; 11 SBL rifles; and assorted ammunition, communication equipment, and other war-like stores.

In a separate but related operation, a joint team of the Kangpokpi District Police and the 19 Assam Rifles recovered a cache of arms, ammunition and other warlike stores during a search operation in Kangpokpi district. The operation was launched at around 5:00 AM following specific intelligence inputs regarding the presence of a concealed arms cache in a general area located about 4.5 kilometres southeast of the Kotlen Company Operating Base (COB) along a hill road. During an extensive search, the team recovered one 5.56 mm Excalibur rifle, four single-barrel bolt-action rifles, four single-barrel pull-mechanism rifles, four improvised mortars, one under-barrel grenade launcher (UBGL), five improvised mortar bombs, 200 rounds of 7.62 mm AK-47 ammunition, 26 rounds of 5.56 mm INSAS rifle ammunition, 10 single-barrel live cartridges, a telescopic sight for a 7.62 mm sniper rifle, and one INSAS rifle magazine.

Further recoveries were made from across the broader region. From the hill ranges between Maohing village and North Changoubung, Kangpokpi, police recovered one AK-47 along with a magazine, one 9mm Carbine along with a magazine, one .303 Rifle, four Pistols, 29 Single barrels, one .303 Rifle magazine loaded with 3 rounds, 129 live rounds of ammunition of different calibres, two pumpis, three improvised bombs, 200 gram PEK, two hand grenades, and three Baofeng radio sets.

The discovery of communication equipment such as Baofeng radio sets alongside the weapons is particularly significant — it indicates that the militants were not just armed but were maintaining coordinated communication networks across the terrain, suggesting organised tactical planning rather than sporadic independent activity.

Gunfire Exchanged, No Casualties Reported

The operation was not without risk. Security forces engaged in an encounter with the armed militants during the operation, but no casualties on either side were reported. The fact that militants were present and willing to engage security forces in a firefight further confirms that the weapons cache was not simply abandoned — it was being actively guarded and was likely in operational use.

Security forces also seized 11 Single Barrel Loading (SBL) rifles, along with assorted ammunition, communication equipment and other war-like stores. Officials said this recovery indicates a significant success in the ongoing efforts to curb militant activities and restore normalcy in the state.

Wider Security Posture: Nakas, Convoys, and Highway Watch

The arms haul is part of a broader, sustained security effort across Manipur. Security forces have intensified search operations and area domination exercises in fringe and vulnerable areas across various districts of Manipur to prevent any resurgence of militant activities. A total of 114 naka and check points have been established across the hill and valley districts in the ongoing security operations. Security personnel are also conducting regular checks to monitor movement and maintain law and order. They have ensured safe movement of essential commodities by facilitating the passage of 450 vehicles along National Highway-37. Security convoys have been deployed in sensitive stretches and strict security arrangements were put in place at vulnerable locations to guarantee the uninterrupted supply of essential goods.

The emphasis on NH-37 is significant — highway blockades have been a recurring weapon of pressure used by various civil society groups and militant outfits in Manipur, and ensuring the uninterrupted flow of essential supplies remains a core security priority.

The Broader Context: Kangpokpi and the Manipur Crisis

Kangpokpi district, a predominantly Kuki-Zo dominated area in the hills of Manipur, has been one of the most sensitive flashpoints in the state's ongoing ethnic conflict between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities. Since May 2023, over 250 people have been killed, thousands displaced, and weapons — many looted from police armouries during the initial outbreak of violence — have circulated widely among armed groups on both sides.

The recovery of military-grade weapons including AK-47 rifles, M4 Carbines, SLRs, and improvised sniper rifles reflects the degree of militarisation that has taken hold in Manipur's hills. The presence of improvised mortars, under-barrel grenade launchers, and explosives such as PEK (plastic explosive compound) in the recovered cache further signals that the situation goes well beyond conventional crime — it is a structured insurgent infrastructure.

Officials said coordinated operations against insurgent elements will continue as security forces remain on high alert across the state. The Manipur Police, Army, CRPF and allied forces have signalled their intent to maintain pressure on armed groups, with operations expected to intensify in the coming weeks across both hill and valley districts.

For a state still deeply wounded by over three years of ethnic strife, each weapons recovery represents not just a tactical success but a step — however incremental — toward the long road of disarmament, accountability, and eventual peace.

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Security operations in Kangpokpi and surrounding districts are ongoing. Authorities have urged civilians with information about concealed weapons or militant activity to come forward through designated police channels.