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.
Read more: CBI forms SIT to probe Manipur violence cases, re-registers six FIRs referred by state
Manipur situation: Home Minister Amit Shah calls all-party meet on June 24
