Surrender looted, illegal weapons within 7 days or face action: Manipur governor to Meiteis, Kukis

Guwahati: A week after imposition of President's rule in strife-torn Manipur, Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Thursday served a week's deadline for surrender of weapons, which were looted in 2023, when the conflict involving the Meitei and the Kuki communities erupted.

This came on a day the security forces intensified drive against unlawful activities, seized weapons and destroyed several "bunkers," both in Meitei-dominated Imphal East and Kuki-majority Tengnoupal district.

In a statement, the Governor said no legal action would be initiated against those surrendering the weapons within a week but warned about strict action thereafter for possession of such weapons.

Bunkers destroyed

More than 6,000 weapons were looted from armouries, mainly in Meitei-dominated valley districts and over half of them still remain traceless. Some weapons were even recovered from insurgent groups in the Valley, who even used them for extortion from government officials and traders. The looted weapons include INSAS, Ghatak and AK series rifles.

Similar appeals were made several times by N Biren Singh before the President's rule was imposed on February 13 but did not yield much results. However, sources in the security forces were optimistic about the Governor's appeal due to the powers he can use now under the President's rule. They said alleged intervention by the state government was a hindrance for recovery of the looted weapons.

"The government of Manipur is deeply concerned about the illegal circulation of arms and ammunition that were either looted or were unlawfully taken from various places including state armouries. These weapons pose a serious threat to the safety and security of the society. People of Manipur, both in Valley and Hills, have suffered immense hardship for the last over 20 months due to a series of unfortunate incidents affecting peace and communal harmony," the Governor said in the statement.

Recovered weapons

Weapons seized, bunkers dismantled:

Intensifying the drive, the Assam Rifles and other security forces arrested one cadre of Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) and recovered automatic weapons, IEDs and improvised mortars at Khabeisoi Maning Leikai in Imphal East district, on Tuesday. In a similar operation in Kuki-dominated Tengnoupal district on Wednesday, the forces destroyed several underground bunkers, which were used by armed persons to carry out attacks or retaliate. The forces also recovered AK-56 rifles, a 9mm pistol and other weapons at Maojang village.

More than 260 people have died and over 60,000 others were displaced in the Meitei-Kuki conflict. But the looted weapons still carry the possibility of further eruption of violence.