Arms, ammunition 'looted' from armouries: CBI visit crime scenes in Manipur

The special investigation team (SIT) of the CBI probing Manipur violence cases and forensic experts from the CFSL have visited the scenes in Imphal and Churachandpur linked to the alleged loot of arms and ammunition from armouries, officials said on Friday.

The team faced protests from locals near Pangei when a group of women put up a roadblock. But it managed to complete its work and return safely on Thursday, the officials said.

During the course of the investigation, the CBI team and the experts from the Central Forensic Sciences Laboratory (CFSL) visited the crime scenes at the Manipur Police Training College (MPTC) at Pangei, besides Naoremthong, located close to the NG Collge near Imphal, they said.

The forensic experts collected samples and took photographs at the MPTC. A mob allegedly made off with a huge cache of arms and ammunition from the MPTC armoury on May 3, the officials said.

The SIT also visited Churachandpur in connection with the investigation of a case related to the alleged loot of arms and ammunition from the armouries in the district, they added.

Thousands of weapons were looted across districts in the northeastern state during ethnic clashes that erupted on May 3.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has formed a 10-member SIT under a DIG-rank officer to probe six cases related to the Manipur violence referred to it by the state government, the officials said.

During his visit to the northeastern state, Home Minister Amit Shah had announced a CBI probe into six FIRs -- five on alleged criminal conspiracy and one on the general conspiracy behind the violence in Manipur.

The CBI had dispatched its Joint Director Ghanshyam Upadhyay to coordinate with the state officials and the SIT was formed upon his return, the officials said.

The agency re-registered the six cases referred to it by the state government. The Special Crime Branch, Kolkata will probe the cases, the officials said.

Violence broke out in the northeastern state after a "Tribal Solidarity March" was organised in the hill districts on May 3 to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

The clashes were preceded by tension over the eviction of Kuki villagers from reserve forest land, which had led to a series of smaller agitations.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal valley. Tribals -- Nagas and Kukis -- constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts.

Around 10,000 Army and Assam Rifles personnel have been deployed in the state to maintain peace.