After Guv ultimatum, 87 weapons surrendered in Manipur’s 7 districts

With just a day left before the seven-day deadline set by Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla for surrendering illegal arms, several persons across seven districts voluntarily handed over a substantial cache of weapons and military equipment by February 25, according to official reports.

A total of 87 weapons — ranging from military-grade rifles to improvised explosives — along with ammunition and tactical gear were surrendered at police stations in Churachandpur, Imphal East, Bishnupur, Thoubal, Kangpokpi, Jiribam and Imphal West.

On February 20, Bhalla had urged all ethnic groups in the state to surrender illegally acquired arms within a week.

Among the surrendered weapons were self-loading rifles, INSAS light machine guns, AK-47 rifles, sniper rifles, pistols and an 81mm mortar. The cache also included country-made firearms and IEDs.

Besides, security forces conducted additional search operations in vulnerable areas. These operations led to the recovery of improvised mortars, bombs and 5.5 kg of IEDs with detonators, which were destroyed on-site in Tengnoupal.