Four people were killed and 20 others injured in the exchange of gunfire between the two groups (Photo: PTI)
16 guns looted by a mob have been recovered from Ukhrul police station, Manipur, police said on Saturday.
Speaking at a press conference, Inspector General (Operations) IK Muivah said that when a fight broke out between the two villages on October 2, an angry mob stormed the police station and looted 20 guns.
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“With the cooperation of the security forces, civil society organizations, and community leaders, 80 percent of the weapons have now been recovered,” he said.
Efforts are underway to find the remaining weapons, he said.
Among the weapons found were 9mm pistols, INSAS rifles and an AK-47 rifle, he added.
Muivah said that the situation in the region is under control, and the security forces, including Manipur Rifles, Assam Rifles and BSF, are keeping a close watch in cooperation with the leaders of the two villages.
“This is something that has never been seen before, it is remarkable and commendable for all those who have played a good role in restoring normalcy,” he said.
Assam Rifles chief Sanjeev Singh said the situation had been brought under control with “less or no use of force”.
“Jointly the Assam Rifles, BSF and the police have ensured that there are no more incidents of violence. CSOs have played a major role. We want to appeal that we are in the withdrawal phase and we must continue to de-escalate the situation,” he said.
Four people were killed and 20 injured in a shootout that broke out between two groups belonging to the Naga community but belonging to different villages, on October 2 over the clearing of disputed land in the town which is part of the Swachhata Abhiyan.
Prohibitory orders were imposed and mobile internet services were suspended in the city after the clash.
(Only the headline and image for this report may have been reused by Business Standard staff; other content is automatically generated from the trade feed.)
First published: October 05 2024 | 11:23 PM IST