Now Reading: Manipur recovers 85% looted arms; CM issues 15-day ultimatum
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Manipur recovers 85% looted arms; CM issues 15-day ultimatum
Manipur Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh on Wednesday gave a 15-day ultimatum for people to voluntarily surrender illegal firearms, warning that strict legal action will follow for those found with weapons after…
The Story in Brief
Manipur Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh on Wednesday gave a 15-day ultimatum for people to voluntarily surrender illegal firearms, warning that strict legal action will follow for those found with weapons after the deadline. The appeal came at an event showcasing arms recovered by security forces: 1,422 firearms, 7,010 rounds of ammunition and 1,137 explosives seized between February 5 and August 11. Director General of Police Rajiv Singh said 1,570 joint operations led to 491 extremist arrests, and nearly 85% of weapons looted from police armouries have been recovered.
The government also highlighted anti-narcotics progress: 692 acres of poppy cultivation destroyed, 223 persons arrested in 158 narcotics cases. Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam said extortionists on national highways will be booked under the National Security Act. The ethnic violence between Meiteis and Kukis since May 2023 has killed over 260 people and displaced thousands.
The Indian Opinion
The narrative that Manipur's government has done little to curb violence is contradicted by 1,570 joint operations and 1,422 weapons recovered in six months. But a 15-day ultimatum for voluntary surrender risks being seen as toothless unless the state shows equal resolve in the hills and valley. The test will be whether arrests under the National Security Act for extortion match the rhetoric, and how many weapons actually come in voluntarily before the deadline.
Sources (2): assamtribune.com, rediff.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
