Security personnel of the 31, 33 and 46 Assam Rifles who had carried out a combing operation at Heirok Mamang Ching in Thoubal district, returned to their respective camps by Wednesday evening. However, Para Commandos who were deployed by helicopter a day earlier were reportedly continuing search operations in areas closer to the Indo–Myanmar border, sources said.
According to villagers, the Assam Rifles and the Para Commandos did not carry out house-to-house searches and confined their operations to forested areas. Reporters who visited the location on Wednesday witnessed Assam Rifles personnel returning from the operation site by evening.
Sources further said that the Para Commandos remain in the area and are moving towards the Indo–Myanmar border, located at an approximate distance of forty kilometres from the operation site.