At least 43 cadres belonging to eight insurgent groups in Manipur surrendered on Saturday and laid down their weapons before Chief Minister N. Biren Singh at Imphal.
They deposited 19 weapons including AK series rifles.
The militants surrendered a day after Home Minister Amit Shah visited Manipur and claimed that the BJP-led government, both at the Centre and in the state, established peace and ended strikes as people remained affected for years.
Welcoming the militants, Biren Singh said that the door is open for other insurgents too as the state wants to establish permanent peace in order to usher in more development.
Out of the 43 cadres, 13 belonged to KYKL, 11 from KCP, five each from PLA/RPF, UNLF and KCP (N), two from PREPAK (pro-talks) and one from NSCN (U).
The cadres would be provided Rs four lakh as fixed deposit and Rs 6,000 per month for three years, apart from financial benefits for the weapons, under the Centre's scheme for rehabilitation of insurgents in the Northeast. They would remain in rehabilitation camps for three years for skill development.
Insurgency in the Northeast has come down significantly in the past few years, but the situation in Manipur and Nagaland has still remained a concern. Several insurgent groups in Manipur are still out of the peace process and are bent on their demand for cessation.
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