NEW DELHI: Manipur police and the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) on Tuesday recovered 86 weapons and 974 ammunition in the hill state, which has in the past couple of years witnessed deadly ethnic conflict. In the joint operations, the forces seized grenades, IEDs, AK series & INSAS rifles, pistols, anti-riot guns and SBBL, in the areas of Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal, Kakching, and Bishnupur district, reported news agency ANI, citing the Office of Manipur DGP.On the night of July 3 and the early morning of July 4, in a similar operation, Manipur police recovered over 200 weapons during a massive search operation carried out across the state’s hill districts. The raids are part of ongoing efforts to curb illegal arms and restore peace in the region. The police recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition in search operations, as law and order remain stable in the state.These operations are part of a broader crackdown launched by the Manipur Police, Assam Rifles, Army and Central Armed Police Forces.Last week, the Manipur Police arrested nine people, including six members of the Meitei organisation Arambai Tenggol and three militants of a banned outfit. All the arrests were made in the Bishnupur district. The six Arambai Tenggol members were involved in physically assaulting state police personnel during a bandh in Bishnupur district on June 9, a police statement said.Since ethnic violence broke out in the state in May 2023, Manipur has witnessed at least 260 deaths and is currently under President’s rule. The strife between the Meitei and Kuki communities also rendered thousands of people homeless, forcing them to stay in relief camps.