Large cache of explosives, IEDs seized in poll-bound Manipur

Imphal, Feb 23 (IANS) The Assam Rifles on Wednesday foiled a terrorist bid to carry out violence in poll-bound Manipur and recovered a large cache of explosive materials and six Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) near Betuk village along the Myanmar border, officials said.A defence spokesman said that the Moreh Battalion of Assam Rifles, acting on a secret tip-off, nabbed a man riding an imported motorcycle into India from Myanmar carrying a suspicious wooden box. On being challenged by the troopers, the person dropped the wooden box and fled back to Myanmar.The Assam Rifles troopers recovered six IEDs with cortex, electric wire and explosive materials from the wooden box. In the run-up to the Assembly elections in Manipur, Assam Rifles is proactively guarding the unfenced 400 km India-Myanmar border, a spokesperson of the force said. It is suspected that the IEDs were meant to disrupt the election process in Manipur, the spokesman said.The seized IEDs and explosive materials were handed over to the Moreh police for further investigation.The Assembly elections in Manipur will be held in two phases -- on February 28 and March 5. The counting of votes will be taken up on March 10.
--IANS sc/arm

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