A massive search was started in Manipur's Imphal East district on Saturday evening for the armed men who were involved in the recent incidents of shooting at Thamnapokpi and Sanasabi, police said.

Combined teams of police, Army, CRPF and BSF were conducting the search in Yaingangpokpi and the surrounding hill areas, they said.

"The operations will continue till the area is clear of armed miscreants," they said in a statement.

However, a team of security forces was stopped near Saibol village by tribal women and asked to go back. They had to return from there, officials said.

Meanwhile, a huge cache of arms and ammunition was recovered from near Muallum village in Kuki-dominated Churachandpur district, officials said.

Among the items seized were an INSAS rifle with a magazine, a 9 mm country-made pistol with a magazine, and a single-barrel rifle with a magazine, they said.

The recovered items were handed over to the Singhat police station for further legal procedures, they added.

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