According to a report by the PTI news agency, the mob broke into the armory at the battalion headquarters of the 2nd India Reserve Battalion (IRB) located at Naranseina.

An official told the news agency that 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, sixteen 9mm pistols, 25 bulletproof jackets, 21 carbines, 124 hand grenades among others were looted by the mob ahead of mass burial planned in Churachandpur.

A crowd had gathered there to march towards Churachandpur where Kukis were planning to carry out a mass burial of their people killed in ethnic clashes that broke out in the state on May 3. The programmed had sparked fresh tension with the Meitei community, opposing the move.

Meiteis had also attempted to loot two other armories located in the state capital but the attempts were foiled.

The Manipur High Court, in an extraordinary hearing held on Thursday morning, had stayed the proposed mass burial even though the Kuki community claimed that they had postponed the programme after discussions with the Union home ministry.

More than 160 people lost their lives and several hundred were injured since the ethnic clashes broke out in Manipur on May 3, after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Meiteis account for about 53% of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals — Nagas and Kukis — constitute little over 40% and reside in the hill districts.

Updated: 04 Aug 2023, 10:14 AM IST