Since February 20, Manipur has seen the return of nearly 1,000 illegally held firearms, following Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla’s announcement for a surrender deadline. A total of over 6,000 firearms were looted amidst ethnic strife between the Meitei and Kuki communities, which has resulted in over 258 deaths and displaced 60,000 people. On the deadline’s last day, security forces conducted a flag march to restore order ahead of a central order for free vehicle movement starting March 8. The move is backed by Meitei groups but met with warnings from Kuki leaders about potential consequences without addressing their administrative demands.
Imphal/Guwahati:
Since February 20, when Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla set a seven-day ultimatum, a considerable quantity of looted and illegally possessed firearms, ammunition, and explosive materials have been surrendered to the security forces in Manipur. This deadline has since been extended to today.
Officials have reaffirmed their dedication to sustaining law and order within Manipur.
On the final day of the period allocated for the surrender of illegal weapons, police sources reported that nearly 1,000 firearms have been returned to security forces since the Governor’s announcement on February 20.
More than 6,000 assorted firearms and a significant amount of ammunition were seized from police stations and outposts by mobs and militants.
A considerable portion of the looted weapons has been recovered, sources stated, although they did not specify a number.
The security forces, including the CRPF, BSF, army, Assam Rifles, RAF, and district police, conducted a flag march on Thursday evening in the Moirang, Kumbi, and Nambol regions of Bishnupur district.
This action followed an order from the Centre to facilitate the free movement of vehicles throughout Manipur starting from March 8. The highways have been rendered impassable due to the ethnic conflict between the Meitei community and the Kuki tribes since May 2023, a confrontation that has resulted in over 258 fatalities and displaced more than 60,000 individuals.
The flag march was designed to restore order and build public confidence ahead of the deadline.
This initiative has been positively received by the Meitei civil society group COCOMI and women’s organizations in the valley, who have called for strict measures against any type of obstruction.
On the other hand, the Kuki group CoTU, based in Kangpokpi, has cautioned of possible “consequences” if the order is enforced without addressing their request for a distinct administrative setup.
With President’s rule in effect since February, Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla faces mounting pressure to maintain law and order. On March 4, he conducted a security review with senior officials, emphasizing the necessity to implement Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s directive for the unimpeded movement of individuals.
To ensure compliance, it is essential to bolster security, particularly through heightened patrols along crucial routes like National Highway 2 (Imphal-Dimapur via Kangpokpi) to prevent blockades.
Moreover, the administration should proactively engage with key stakeholders, such as COCOMI, CoTU, and other community leaders, to ease tensions and address security issues, sources indicated.
It is vital that law enforcement remains neutral; any efforts to obstruct highways must be promptly addressed with firm measures, regardless of the group involved, they emphasized.