Our Correspondent
Imphal, July 27 (EMN): Twelve cadres of the armed group Liberation Tigers of Tribals (LTT) including its Chairman, Deputy Chairman and Army Chief laid down their arms and ammunition before Manipur Chief Minister of N Biren Singh at a Homecoming Ceremony at the Banquet Hall of 1st Manipur Rifles complex on Wednesday evening.
The surrendered weapons include one M16 rifle, two AK56 rifles, one .22 rifle, one double barrel gun, one carbine, two 9mm pistols, one lathode gun along with one Chinese hand grenade and one hand held set.
Speaking on the occasion, Biren Singh reiterated Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s words that not a single bullet would be fired on those militants who want to return to their normal lives and join the national mainstream and no FIR would be lodged against them unless they are involved in a heinous crime.
He appealed to Paramilitary forces, Army and Police to keep the Union Home Minister’s commitment to encourage more cadres of militant groups to come to the mainstream.
He maintained that there shouldn’t be any complicacy in the procedures to be followed for UG groups coming to the mainstream, adding the state government had opened up a single window facility to facilitate UG groups in coming back. He expressed satisfaction on high ranking militants joining the mainstream and added that many more are ready to come back.
Mentioning that the government has political will and commitment to bring peace in the state, the chief minister instructed the chief secretary and director general of police to disburse the rehabilitation benefits to be given to the home coming cadres timely in time bound manner.
Singh appealed to all the armed groups to come back to the mainstream, stating that the political scenario of the state had changed and appealed to all to take their part in nation building and in making one India.
Under the revised scheme for surrender-cum rehabilitation of militants in the Northeast states, 2018 of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, rehabilitation benefits to be given to the surrendered cadres included a one-time financial grant of INR 4 lakh to each surrendered cadre, which is to be kept in their respective bank accounts as a fixed deposit for a period of three years, monthly stipend of INR 6000 per person and incentives for surrendered weapons.