Joint Combing Operations Enter Day 4 In Manipur, 22 Weapons Recovered: Indian Army Joint Combing Operations Enter Day 4 In Manipur, 22 Weapons Recovered: Indian Army. As many as 22 weapons were recovered in the last 24 hours, the Indian Army said.

New Delhi: The combing operations in violence-hit Manipur entered fourth day on Saturday. The operations were conducted wherever necessary, in the presence of magistrates, and as many as 22 weapons were recovered in the last 24 hours, the Indian Army said.

Amid reports of normalcy being restored in Manipur, where ethnic clashes broke out earlier last month, three people were killed in Kangpokpi district on Friday. Insurgents dressed as security personnel called them out of their homes under the guise of a combing operation and opened fire on them, news agency PTI reported citing an official.

When security forces on routine patrol in the village heard gunshots, they intervened. According to officials, insurgents fled the area but not before killing three villagers.

Assam Rifles recovered the bodies. A search operation was later conducted by a joint team of Manipur Police, Assam Rifles, and the Army.

Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) formed a special investigation team to be headed by a DIG-rank officer to probe the Manipur riot cases.

During his visit to the crisis-hit north-eastern state, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had announced a CBI probe to investigate six FIRs -- five on alleged criminal conspiracy and one on general conspiracy -- behind the violence in Manipur. Acting on a reference from the state routed through the Centre, the central agency registered six cases and formed the SIT comprising 10 personnel and took over the investigation in the cases, news agency ANI quoted an official as saying.

It is to be noted that violence broke out in the north-eastern state on May 3 when people from the Meitei community and the Kuki tribe clashed with each other over the Meiteis’ demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

It is to be noted that the Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of state’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.

Last week, the government formed a three-member inquiry commission to be headed by former Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court, Justice Ajai Lamba to probe into the incidents of violence in the state.