Security agencies have begun destroying rocket launchers in Delhi’s Narela that were seized during an operation linked to the arrest of two suspected terrorists in Manipur, extending the investigation from the northeast to the national capital.
The disposal operation involves the Army, the Special Cell of Delhi Police and the Forensic Science Laboratory. The weapons had been transported to Delhi for examination and safe destruction after investigators completed the procedures required to preserve evidence connected with the case.
The rocket launchers formed part of a larger cache of weapons, ammunition and explosive material recovered during a joint search operation in Manipur. The haul included rifles, hundreds of rounds of live ammunition, detonators and other explosive components. Authorities have not publicly identified the two suspects or disclosed an organisational affiliation, leaving the precise nature of the alleged terror link under investigation.
Neutralising weapons after forensic examination is intended to remove the risk posed by explosives and munitions that no longer need to be retained in their original condition. Such operations require controlled handling because rocket-propelled weapons and associated components can remain dangerous even when they are not assembled for immediate use.
The movement of the seized equipment to Delhi also reflects the involvement of specialised investigative and forensic agencies in examining weapon systems recovered during counter-insurgency operations. Investigators typically document identifying marks, construction, explosive composition and other technical characteristics that could help establish the weapon’s origin, acquisition route and possible connection with other seizures.
The case comes as security forces continue intensive searches for illegal weapons across Manipur. Large quantities of firearms and explosives remain in circulation after years of insurgent activity and the proliferation of weapons during the ethnic conflict that erupted in May 2023.
Operations during August have produced several substantial seizures. A search in Kangpokpi district on August 3 yielded an M16, a Mark III rifle, a sniper rifle, 25 single-barrel guns, seven pistols, 76 live rounds, three hand grenades and 20 detonators. Four improvised weapons known as pumpis and radio communication equipment were also recovered.
Two days later, security forces arrested RC Singson, described by police as an army chief of the United Kuki National Army-Hmar, in Churachandpur district. An AK-47 rifle, a 9mm pistol, three improvised explosive devices and two radio sets were recovered following the arrest.
Another operation around Loktak Lake produced a diverse weapons cache that included locally manufactured firearms, pistols, rifles, lathode guns, improvised guns and six packages containing improvised explosive devices. The variety of weapons recovered across different districts has remained a major challenge for authorities attempting to reduce armed violence and dismantle militant networks.
Police in Thoubal district also recovered two INSAS rifles, an MP-5 submachine gun, an SLR, two.303 rifles and 379 rounds of ammunition on August 2. The recovery followed other searches that have uncovered military-grade rifles alongside locally fabricated weapons, grenades and explosive devices.
The scale of the seizures has kept weapons tracing at the centre of security operations. Investigators are seeking to distinguish arms held by militant organisations from weapons hidden by local armed groups and firearms that may have changed hands several times since the outbreak of violence.
Authorities have also pursued a parallel strategy of encouraging armed cadres to surrender. Forty-six members of the banned Kangleipak Communist Party-Taibanganba Group, including four women, laid down arms at a ceremony in Imphal on August 18. The government has offered rehabilitation and livelihood assistance as part of efforts to move cadres away from underground organisations.
