Following the shootout between Churachandpur district police and suspected cadres of Kuki Independent Army (KIA) between Songphu village and Kolchung village on Sunday, a thorough search of the area was conducted on the same day leading to recovering of war-like stores filled with arms and ammunition.
A release by the Churachandpur district police on Monday informed that one Ladies Carbine with magazine, two AK 56 Rifles with magazine, three Camouflage Bags, two Chinese Hand Grenades, one Lethode live round, three Pistols, 76 nos of AK 56 Ammunition, 22 live and three empty cases of Single Barrel Ammo, four 9 mm rounds and four Single Barrel (SBBL) guns were recovered during the search.
The Churachandpur police said that based on specific input received on the presence of KIA cadres in general area of Songphu, as a follow-up action on FIR No 6(4)2023 HLP-PS regarding loot of arms and ammunitions from Chongkhojou SoO Camp that took place on April 8, 2023, an operation was launched on Saturday (April 15, 2023).
The operation was taken by a special team of District Police, Churachandpur in the general area of Songphu Village under the supervision of Addl SP (OPS), Churachandpur, Deshorjit Singh, and under the overall supervision of the SP of Churachandpur, Shivanand Surve, the release said.
Moreover, columns of 36 AR and 9 AR, under the aegis of 27 Sector AR Headquarter, Churachandpur, also launched Cordon and Search Operations in different areas of Henglep to cover large areas of Henglep Subdivision, cutting off escape routes, as per the release.
It resulted in an encounter on Sunday (April 16) at about 2:40 pm, between the Police teams and suspected KIA cadres between Songphu village and Kolchung village, about 20 km North of Henglep, the police said.
After the firing stopped, a thorough search of the area was conducted, leading to the recovery of the following war-like stores where the mentioned weapons were recovered, the police said.
The release said that the Operations against KIA are continuing and further investigations underway.
ALSO READ: Five injured in shootout between police and KIA
