The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken a significant step forward by lodging a chargesheet against seven individuals implicated in the theft of arms and ammunition from the 2nd Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) premises in Manipur during the ethnic turmoil that unfolded in the state last August.
This formal legal document was presented before the esteemed Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate situated in Guwahati's Kamrup (Metro) district.
The unsettling incident transpired on August 3, 2023, wherein a group of armed perpetrators allegedly pilfered a cache consisting of 300 firearms, 19,800 rounds of ammunition, 800 various munitions, and associated accessories from designated quarters within the IRB Headquarters situated in Naranseina, within the precincts of Bishnupur district.
Promptly responding to the incident, the CBI initiated an investigation, formally registering a case on August 24, 2023. Subsequently, assuming jurisdiction over the matter based on an FIR lodged at the Moirang police station in Bishnupur.
The investigative process undertaken by the CBI continues apace, with concerted endeavors directed towards identifying and prosecuting all individuals involved in the nefarious activities surrounding the case.
The backdrop against which this unfortunate incident unfolded stems from the eruption of sporadic violence in Manipur following ethnic clashes that erupted between the Valley-dwelling Meiteis and the hill-dwelling Kukis on May 3, 2023.
Tragically, this bout of unrest has resulted in the loss of over 180 lives and has left thousands displaced within the region.
