Manipur: More looted, illegal arms returned to security forces in 10 days, total reaches 690

IMPHAL: With the surrender of 62 more looted and illegally held arms to the security forces, around 690 firearms have been returned to the authorities in Manipur during the past 10 days, officials said on Sunday.

A police official said that 62 various types of looted weapons and a large cache of different types of ammunition have been deposited to the police and other security forces during the past 24 hours in Imphal West, Churachandpur, Imphal East, Bishnupur, and Tamenglong districts.

On the other hand, the security personnel during their ongoing search operations recovered several arms and a large amount of ammunition from Imphal West district.

Meanwhile, the security forces, as part of their destruction of illegal poppy cultivation, razed 15 acres of illegal poppy plantations in the Tengnoupal district while five illegal bunkers were bulldozed in the Kangpokpi and Imphal East districts.

A defence spokesman separately said that the relentless efforts of the Indian Army and Assam Rifles formations, in coordination with Manipur Police, civil administration, and other security agencies, aided in the surrender of 99 weapons in the hill and valley districts from February 27 to March 1.

The Army and Assam Rifles, along with other security forces, remain dedicated to fostering peace, security, and development in the region through the conduct of joint operations and continuous engagement with relevant stakeholders, the spokesman said.

A senior police official said that they are hopeful that many organisations and individuals will return the looted arms and ammunition in the coming days. After the expiry of the seven-day period, Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla had, on February 28, extended by one week the time given for the return of looted and illegal weapons and ammunition to the security forces. He also warned that "strict legal action would be taken as per law for possession of such arms and ammunition" after the expiry of the fresh time limit on March 6. (IANS)

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