In a fresh incident of clashes in viole-hit Manipur, a mob broke into a police armoury and stole weapons, including AK and ‘Ghatak’ series of assault rifles, and over 19,000 bullets of various calibres, officials said. The state in on the boli since May 3 when ethnic clashes broke between two groups. The loot incident took place at the battalion headquarters of the 2nd India Reserve Battalion (IRB) located at Naranseina in Bishnupur district.
According to reports, a crowd had gathered Naranseina in Bishnupur district to march towards Churachandpur where tribals were planning to carry out a mass burial of their people killed in ongoing clashes, they said.
More than 19,000 rounds of bullets of different calibres, an AK series assault rifle, three ‘Ghaatak’ rifles, 195 self-loading rifles, five MP-5 guns, 16 9mm pistols, 25 bulletproof jackets, 21 carbines, 124 hand grenades among others were looted by the mob, officials said.
The mass burial programme by the tribals, which was halted after talks with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, had sparked fresh tension in the strife-torn state with the majority community opposing the move.