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People from all communities should surrender looted and illegally held weapons and ammunition within seven days, Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla said in a statement today.
No punitive action will be taken against anyone who returns such weapons within the deadline, the Governor said; however, strict action will be taken for keeping looted or illegal weapons after the seven-day deadline ends.
The state that shares an open border with Myanmar and where ethnic clashes between the Meitei community and over a dozen distinct tribes collectively known as Kuki began nearly two years ago, is under the President's rule.
Chief Minister N Biren Singh and his council of ministers resigned on February 9, after which the Governor placed the assembly in suspended animation, or MLAs active but without powers.
"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. In the greater interest of restoring normalcy, so that people can return to their normal day-to-day activities, all communities in the state must come forward to ensure cessation of hostilities and maintenance of peace and order in the society," Governor Bhalla said in the statement.
"It is in this regard that I sincerely request the people of all communities, particularly the youths in the valley and hills, to voluntarily come forward and surrender looted and illegally held weapons and ammunition to the nearest police station/outpost/security forces camp within the next seven days, with effect from today," the Governor said. "Your single act of returning these weapons can be a powerful gesture towards ensuring peace."
"I want to assure you that no punitive action would be initiated if such weapons are returned within the stipulated time. Thereafter, strict action will be taken for possession of such weapons. The government is committed to ensuring a peaceful resolution of the situation and safeguarding the future of our youth. Let us rebuild our State together with hope and trust for a brighter future. Come forward and choose peace," Governor Bhalla said.
Guns In Manipur
An estimated 6,000 firearms were looted from police stations and armouries across Manipur after ethnic clashes broke out on May 3, 2023. Some 4,000 firearms are still missing, sources have said. Some of the recovered firearms include American origin M series assault rifles. Approximately 30 per cent of looted weapons has been recovered so far, police sources said.
"Sophisticated weapons looted from state armouries have made their way into the Manipur ethnic conflict, posing fresh challenges for security agencies," a Union Home Ministry official said, requesting anonymity.