Imphal: Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla has extended the deadline by one week for individuals to return looted and illegal weapons to security forces. He issued a warning that strict legal action will be taken against anyone found in possession of such arms after the deadline.
As of February 27, over 610 illegally-held weapons, including sophisticated arms and a significant amount of ammunition, have been returned since the Governor’s initial appeal on February 20. In his latest statement, Bhalla acknowledged the positive response to his earlier request and announced that the new deadline for voluntary surrender is set for March 6 at 4 p.m.
The Governor urged anyone still in possession of illegal arms to surrender them to the nearest police station or security camp by the new deadline, assuring that no punitive measures would be taken against those who comply. However, he emphasized that individuals found with illegal weapons after this period would face legal consequences. Following the deadline, police and security forces will conduct extensive search operations.
Bhalla described this as a final opportunity for individuals to contribute to peace and communal harmony in the region. The call for surrender comes in the wake of ethnic riots between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities that began on May 3, 2023, during which over 6,000 sophisticated weapons and countless rounds of ammunition were looted from police facilities.
On the last day of the initial surrender period, various organizations, including the Meitei group Arambai Tenggol, returned 307 looted arms along with a large quantity of ammunition. Police officials noted the involvement of community leaders and civil society groups in facilitating these returns.
On February 25, a delegation from Arambai Tenggol met with the Governor to present a nine-point demand aimed at resolving the ongoing ethnic conflict, which includes the introduction of a National Register of Citizens (NRC) with 1951 as the base year and the deportation of illegal immigrants.
Meanwhile, a coordinating committee representing the Kuki-Zo community has called on the Central government to take swift action to restore peace and security in Manipur and has expressed a willingness to surrender their arms if their demands for a separate administration and legal protections are met.