Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla has urged all communities to surrender looted and illegal weapons within seven days, assuring no punitive action for compliance. After two years of ethnic violence between the Meitei community and Kuki tribes, the state remains under President’s rule following the resignation of Chief Minister N Biren Singh. Governor Bhalla emphasized the need for peace and normalcy, highlighting the severe hardships faced by residents. The ongoing conflict has resulted in over 250 deaths and 50,000 displacements. Both sides accuse each other of violence, complicating disarmament efforts amid sophisticated armament inflows.
Imphal/New Delhi:
Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla has urged individuals from all communities to surrender any looted and illegally possessed weapons and ammunition within a week, according to a statement issued today.
The Governor assured that no punitive measures will be taken against those who return such weapons before the deadline; however, strict actions will follow for anyone retaining looted or illegal firearms after this seven-day period.
The state, which has an open border with Myanmar, has been under President’s rule due to ongoing ethnic clashes between the Meitei community and various tribes known collectively as Kuki, which began nearly two years ago.
On February 9, Chief Minister N Biren Singh and his cabinet resigned, after which the Governor suspended the assembly, leaving MLAs active but without authority.
“The people of Manipur, both in the valley and the hills, have endured significant hardship for over 20 months due to unfortunate incidents that have disrupted peace and communal harmony. To restore normalcy, allowing citizens to resume their everyday lives, all communities must come together to end hostilities and maintain peace and order,” stated Governor Bhalla.
In his efforts to restore peace and normalcy in the state, Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla has appealed to the public, particularly the youth, to voluntarily surrender any looted and illegal weapons. pic.twitter.com/z3YFhl7NVS
— RAJ BHAVAN MANIPUR (@RajBhavManipur) February 20, 2025
“I earnestly request individuals from all communities, especially the youth in both the valley and hills, to willingly come forth and surrender looted and illegally held weapons and ammunition to the nearest police station, outpost, or security forces camp within the next week, starting today,” said the Governor. “This simple act of returning these weapons can serve as a strong message for peace.”
“I assure you that no punitive action will be taken if these weapons are returned within the designated timeframe. After that, strict enforcement action will be pursued. The government is committed to seeking a peaceful resolution to the situation and ensuring a secure future for our youth. Together, let us rebuild our state with hope and trust for a brighter tomorrow. Step forward and choose peace,” the Governor added.
Guns In Manipur
After ethnic violence erupted on May 3, 2023, an estimated 6,000 firearms were looted from police stations and armories throughout Manipur. Reports suggest that around 4,000 firearms remain unaccounted for. Some of the recovered weapons include American-made M series assault rifles, with police sources indicating that approximately 30 percent of the stolen firearms have been retrieved so far.
“The sophisticated weapons seized from state armories have contributed to the ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur, presenting new challenges for security forces,” a Union Home Ministry official commented, wishing to remain anonymous.
Members of the valley-centric Meitei militia, Arambai Tenggol (AT), have been implicated in various cases concerning the looting of police armories.
However, the AT maintains that it is a cultural organization compelled to arm itself as village defense volunteers following ineffective law enforcement during the early phase of the ethnic violence, which resulted in Kuki militants attacking Meitei villages in the foothills.
Kuki civil society organizations have accused the AT of launching assaults on their villages along inter-district borders following the initial rounds of clashes in May 2023, compelling Kuki tribes to also take up arms and form defense units trained and equipped by militants who had tentatively entered into a ceasefire with the central and state governments.
While both parties describe their armed members as “volunteers”, there is a notable similarity in the weapons they wield—AK and M series assault rifles, rocket-propelled grenades, both crude and military-grade mortars, advanced sniper rifles, drones for surveillance, etc.
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The Kuki-Zo tribes have around two dozen insurgent factions that fall under two major coalitions known as the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and the United People’s Front (UPF). Both KNO and UPF have ratified the contentious Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement, stipulating that insurgents remain in designated camps and their arms be stored securely with regular monitoring.
Notably, several banned Meitei militant factions like the PLA, KYKL, and KCP, which had nearly vanished from Manipur over the last decade, resurfaced post-May 2023 amidst the waning influence of the junta in regions sheltering the remaining Meitei insurgents.
The United National Liberation Front (Pambei), or UNLF (P), is currently the sole Meitei militant group that has entered into a SoO-like ceasefire with both the central and state authorities.
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The Governor’s appeal for the surrender of looted and illicitly possessed firearms from all sides carries significant weight, especially as the state remains under President’s rule. Both Kuki and Meitei civil society groups have been urging the central government to facilitate simultaneous disarmament.
“While ensuring protection from potential attacks by guerrilla militants from either camp on Meitei and Kuki civilians and volunteers returning looted firearms poses a major challenge, it is not impossible. Regardless of whether militants are under a ceasefire, any actions that threaten the path toward peace will have consequences,” a senior officer from a central security force remarked to NDTV from the state capital of Imphal, requesting anonymity.
The ongoing conflict between the Kuki tribes and the Meiteis centers on various disputes including land rights and political representation, resulting in over 250 fatalities and nearly 50,000 individuals displaced internally.