Manipur: Return of looted arms, ammunition continues after Governor's appeal

IANS February 24, 2025 259 views

Manipur is experiencing a gradual de-escalation of tensions through a voluntary arms surrender initiative led by Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla. The appeal has resulted in the return of sophisticated weapons across multiple districts, addressing the massive arms looting during the May 2023 ethnic riots. Security forces continue conducting search operations to recover remaining weapons and restore peace. The surrendered arms include various rifles, pistols, grenades, and explosives, signaling a potential reduction in potential conflict.

"If the weapons were not surrendered, strict action would follow" - Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla
Imphal, Feb 23: Responding to Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla's appeal, the return of looted arms and ammunition continued in the state with nine more sophisticated weapons and a large quantity of ammunition were returned to the state police in the three valley districts on Sunday, officials said.

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- Nine sophisticated weapons returned in valley districts after Governor's appeal

A senior police official said that in the wake of the Governor's appeal, some people voluntarily returned looted arms to the district police officials in Imphal East, Imphal West, and Thoubal districts in the presence of senior officials.

He added that the voluntarily surrendered looted and illegal weapons included two carbines, one tear gas gun, one Sniper Rifle, one double barrel gun, one .38mm pistol, one AK 56 Rifle, one 7.62mm MAS series Bolt action sniper rifle, one 303 Rifle.

Among the ammunition returned were a large number of loaded magazines of different arms, two mortar shells, two big-size IEDs, seven 36-HE hand grenades, five handheld radio sets, and various other explosives materials.

After the Governor's appeal made on February 20 to return the looted arms and ammunition, Sunday's event is the third such occasion of surrender of looted arms.

Earlier on Saturday (February 22) in Churachandpur district and on February 21 in Kakching district large quantities of looted arms and ammunition were returned.

Governor Bhalla on February 20 appealed to members of all communities to surrender arms looted from police armouries as well as illegally held arms within seven days.

He said if the weapons were not surrendered, strict action would follow for possession of arms.

According to various reports during the ethnic riots between Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities since May 3, 2023, more than 6,000 different types of sophisticated arms and lakhs of pieces of different types of ammunition were looted from the police stations and police outposts by the mobs and militants.

The security forces, so far, have recovered a substantial number of the looted arms.

The Army, Assam Rifles, various Central Armed Police Forces, and the Manipur Police regularly conduct search operations in various districts to recover the looted arms and ammunition.

Former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, the state Home Department, and other authorities have earlier on several occasions urged the people to deposit the looted arms and ammunition, but the response was quite poor.

Meanwhile, Manipur police during their ongoing search operation recovered many arms and ammunition from the Churachandpur district and arrested a militant belonging to the Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) from the Imphal East district.

The militant, identified as Damu Kanjam alias Ningjaba (47), was involved in extortion of money from various people.

During the operations, Manipur police also dismantled two illegally set up bunkers in Kangpokpi district.

Tags:
Manipur Violence Arms Surrender Governor Ajay Bhalla Ethnic Conflict Meitei-Kuki Riots Weapon Recovery
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