Manipur Governor Extends Deadline for Surrender of Looted Arms
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Synopsis
Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla has extended the deadline for returning looted and illegal arms by another week. This move is part of ongoing efforts to restore peace and security in the region amid ethnic tensions.
Key Takeaways
- Deadline for returning arms extended until March 6.
- Over 610 weapons recovered since February 20.
- Voluntary surrender protects individuals from legal action.
- Extensive police operations planned after the deadline.
- Final chance to promote peace and communal harmony.
Imphal, Feb 28 (NationPress) Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Friday announced a one-week extension for the return of stolen and illegal firearms and ammunition to the security forces.
He also cautioned that strict legal repercussions will follow for those found with such arms.
Senior police officials reported that as of February 27, over 610 looted and illegally possessed weapons, including sophisticated arms and a significant quantity of ammunition, were returned to security forces since the Governor's initial appeal on February 20.
Governor Bhalla, in his recent appeal on Friday, stated, “The request from February 20 has received a favorable response. Following the conclusion of the seven-day voluntary surrender period, there has been a request from both valley and hill regions to extend the surrender timeline. I have taken this request into account and have decided to prolong the deadline until 4 p.m. on March 6 for the voluntary surrender of these arms.”
The Governor urged all individuals still in possession of such weapons to come forward and voluntarily hand over looted and illegally-held arms and ammunition to the nearest police station, outpost, or security camp by March 6.
“During this time frame, no punitive measures will be imposed on those who voluntarily surrender their weapons. However, individuals found with illegal or looted arms after the deadline will face legal action in accordance with the law,” he emphasized.
Furthermore, the police and security forces will conduct extensive search operations following the deadline, Bhalla indicated.
The Governor highlighted that this is the final opportunity for all parties involved to contribute to peace, community harmony, and the protection of youth and security in society.
“We reiterate our appeal to all those still in possession of such weapons to take advantage of this last chance to surrender them without fear of prosecution during the specified timeframe,” he concluded.
Various reports indicate that during the ethnic riots involving the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities since May 3, 2023, over 6,000 different types of sophisticated arms and hundreds of thousands of rounds of various ammunition were seized from police stations and outposts by mobs and extremist groups.
The security forces have successfully recovered a significant number of these looted arms.
On the final day of the initial seven-day surrender period, numerous organizations, including the Meitei group Arambai Tenggol and several individuals, surrendered 307 looted weapons and a substantial cache of ammunition to the security forces in the state.
Police officials noted that various groups, including the radical Meitei organization Arambai Tenggol, youth volunteers, community leaders, civil society organizations, and women's groups, have played a crucial role in returning looted and illegally-held weapons and ammunition at the First Manipur Rifle Campus in Imphal, while 61 additional arms were surrendered at other locations in both hill and valley districts.
A delegation from Arambai Tenggol met with the Governor on February 25 and presented a 9-point demand to address the ongoing ethnic conflict in the state. Their demands included the implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) with 1951 as the base year, the deportation of illegal immigrants, the abrogation of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with militant groups, the destruction of poppy plantations, and the reinstatement of Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for the Meitei community.
They also called for the withdrawal of ST status from illegal immigrants and no legal action against village volunteers and Arambai Tenggol by any commission, tribunal, court, or authority.
Meanwhile, a coordinating committee of Kuki-Zo Community village volunteers urged the Central government on Wednesday to take immediate measures to restore peace, security, and normalcy for the tribal population and the state of Manipur. They expressed readiness to lay down arms if their four-point demands are met.
These demands include a separate administration (Union Territory with legislative powers) for Kuki-Zo tribal-inhabited areas, the withdrawal of Manipur Police from Kuki-Zo inhabited areas, total surrender of looted arms by Meitei groups, and legal protection for Kuki-Zo village volunteers.
