Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla of Manipur made an appeal to Manipur state communities asking them to surrender their looted weapons and other illegal weapons within seven days while assuring safe judgment for those who act before the deadline. He announced that those who missed the deadline would face harsh consequences.
Violent clashes Have disrupted Life in Manipur
Governor Bhalla emphasised through his request that Manipur’s population tolerated significant challenges throughout the previous 20 months because of violent ethnic struggles between hill and valley communities that disrupted peace and social cohesion throughout both areas. The clashes between the Meitei community in the valley and Kuki-Zo tribal groups across the surrounding hills started in May 2023 and have resulted in more than 250 deaths and numerous population displacements.
The Governor stressed the importance of restoring normalcy for the well-being of the state’s residents. “To ensure peace and the restoration of daily life, I urge all communities, particularly the youth, to come forward and voluntarily return looted and illegal weapons to the nearest police station, security forces camp, or outpost within seven days,” he said. Bhalla emphasized that returning these weapons would contribute significantly to calming tensions and promoting peace.
Strict To Be Taken if Anyone Misses Deadline
Bhalla stated to the public that any person who returned their weapons to authorities before the deadline would face no penalty. He emphasised voluntary weapons returns as necessary to build state trust and establish stability. Bhalla warned the people that maintaining illegal gun possession after the deadline would lead to official consequences.
The Governor issued his directive after a sequence of destabilizing incidents including 6,000 firearms being stolen from police stations and armories during the chaos. The President’s rule and assembly suspension in the state demonstrate government initiatives to resolve the current situation and establish peace.
