Manipur CM asks people to surrender illegal arms within 15 days, warns of action under law

Imphal: Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh on Wednesday appealed to people possessing illegal weapons in both the hill and valley regions to surrender them within 15 days or face action as per the law.

Addressing a function organised for the display of recovered arms, ammunition and explosives at the 1st Battalion Manipur Rifles Parade Ground in Imphal, the Chief Minister urged those in possession of illegal arms to hand them over through their respective MLAs or the District Superintendent of Police.

The display of the recovered arms, ammunition and explosives was organised as part of the government’s initiatives aimed at restoring normalcy and strengthening peace and security in the state.

Khemchand Singh said that those who fail to surrender illegal weapons within the stipulated 15-day period would face action in accordance with the law. The Chief Minister said the state’s development had been adversely affected since ethnic violence broke out in Manipur on May 3, 2023.

He appealed to all sections of society to cooperate with the government and security agencies in restoring peace and ensuring normalcy in the state.

The Chief Minister said that after the inception of the new government on February 4, 2026, peace outreach initiatives were undertaken in various districts to bring lasting peace in the State. He said that during the President’s Rule, the law-and-order situation in the State was stabilised.

Manipur Director General of Police (DGP) Mukesh Singh recently said that around 70 per cent of the weapons looted during the ethnic violence have been recovered so far, while efforts are being intensified to trace and recover the remaining arms and ammunition.

Meanwhile, official reports indicated that during the ethnic violence that erupted in Manipur on May 3, 2023, more than 6,000 sophisticated weapons of various categories and several lakh rounds of ammunition were looted from police stations, police outposts and security force armouries by mobs, armed attackers and militants. Efforts to recover the looted and illegally held weapons began on May 31, 2023, when former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh appealed to all concerned to surrender the firearms.

The campaign to recover looted arms gained further momentum after Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla issued a fresh appeal urging all concerned to voluntarily surrender illegally held weapons and ammunition.

While addressing the event on Wednesday, the Chief Minister recalled that during his Jiribam district visit, he met with representatives of all the communities residing in the district, including the Hmar, Paite, Meitei and Meitei Pangal communities. They shared a meal together, helping to bridge the trust deficit and agreed to work together towards peace, he added.

Khemchand Singh maintained that the government had made continuous efforts towards peace by visiting different places that could not be visited earlier due to the crisis. He said that the arms and ammunition displayed were recovered by the security personnel from February 5 (2026) till date. Over 1422 weapons have been recovered during this period, he added.

The Chief Minister commended the efforts of the teams led by DGP Mukesh Singh, Inspector General of the Border Security Force, Inspector General of Assam Rifles (South), and Inspector General of CRPF for recovering such a large cache of arms and ammunition during such a short span of time.

In his speech, Home Minister Konthoujam Govindas Singh warned that strict action will be initiated against any organisation or individual involved in extortion, intimidation and causing harassment to the transporters along the National Highways.

He added that the government is planning to book the extortionists and miscreants along the National Highways under the National Security Act (NSA).

DGP Singh said that during the period from February to August (2026), 1422 firearms, over 7,000 rounds of ammunition and 1137 explosives have been recovered after the sustained efforts conducted by Manipur Police, Central Armed Police Forces, Army, Assam Rifles and other security and law enforcement agencies.

A total of 491 extremists of various outfits have been arrested, the police chief added. To protect the young generation, the Manipur Police have strengthened anti-narcotics operations in the State.

During the programme, a publication titled “Manipur Marches to Peace”, published by the Department of Information and Public Relations, was distributed to all the attendees of the programme and a short video on the initiatives taken by the government was also screened.

The programme was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Losii Dikho, Art and Culture Minister Khuraijam Loken Singh, MLAs, Senior Civil and Police officials, among others.

IANS