Manipur Governor’s Final Deadline for Arms Surrender Ends; 894 Weapons Recovered So Far

After extending the deadline to March 6, an additional 189 weapons were surrendered from various parts of the state.

A total of 894 weapons have been surrendered in Manipur since Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla issued a renewed appeal to the public to return illegally held firearms. The final deadline for surrendering weapons concluded on March 6 at 4 PM.

Authorities have been making consistent efforts to restore stability in the state. On February 20, Governor Bhalla urged people to surrender illegal arms, which led to the recovery of 705 firearms, 9,743 rounds of ammunition, and 320 explosives by February 27. After extending the deadline to March 6, an additional 189 weapons were surrendered from various parts of the state by the time of this report.

On the last day of the deadline, 13 more weapons, along with a significant quantity of ammunition and explosives, were surrendered to Dr. S. Ibomcha Singh, Commandant 6th IRB, and his team, as well as to the in-charge of the Special CDO Unit.

In his final appeal issued on February 28, Governor Bhalla stated, “Any person found in possession of illegal or looted arms after the deadline will face legal action in accordance with the law. Security forces will conduct extensive operations after the deadline. This is the last opportunity for everyone concerned to contribute to peace, communal harmony, and the security of our society. We urge all those still in possession of such weapons to surrender them without fear of prosecution during this period.”

Following the crisis that erupted in Manipur on May 3, 2023, at least 6,020 weapons were looted. So far, security forces and police have managed to recover nearly 3,900 of these through raids and search operations.

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a critical high-level meeting in New Delhi on March 1, where he directed authorities to ensure the free movement of the public across all routes in Manipur starting March 8. He also ordered strict action against anyone attempting to create blockades. Additionally, he reviewed security deployment and instructed the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Manipur Police to effectively maintain law and order.

Governor Bhalla held a security review meeting at Raj Bhavan in Imphal on March 4 to assess the law and order situation in the state. This meeting followed a previous security review chaired by Amit Shah in New Delhi.

With the final deadline for surrendering weapons now passed, security forces remain on high alert to recover more looted arms and prevent any further unrest in the state.

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