Manipur governor extends weapon surrender deadline
Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Friday announced the extension of deadline to surrender illegally-held weapons and ammunition in both valley and hill areas to the nearest police stations or security force camps, till 4pm of March 6.
- IMPHAL — Manipur
Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Friday announced the extension of deadline to
surrender illegally-held weapons and ammunition in both valley and hill areas
to the nearest police stations or security force camps, till 4pm of March 6.
- The extension comes following the expiry of the 7-day
deadline for voluntary surrender of such arms.
- “On 20th February 2025, I had issued a request to all
communities, particularly the youth in the valley and hills, to voluntarily
come forward and surrender looted and illegally held weapons and ammunition to
the nearest police stations/outpost/security forces camps within seven days.
The request has yielded a positive response,” Bhalla said in a press release on
Friday.
- “Upon expiry of the
seven days deadline for voluntary surrender of such arms, there has been demand
from both valley and hill areas to extend the period for surrender. I have
considered the request and decided to extend the deadline up to 4 pm of March
6, 2025, for voluntary surrender of such arms.”
- Urging all those who are still holding such arms to
voluntarily come forward and surrender looted and illegally held weapons and
ammunition to the nearest police stations/outpost/security forces camps by the
given deadline (March 6), the governor assured that no punitive action will be
taken against individuals who voluntarily surrender weapons during this period.
- “However, any person
found in possession of illegal or looted arms after the deadline will face
appropriate legal action as per the law. Further, the police and security
forces would be taking up extensive operations after the said deadline,” he
cautioned.
- The release also informed that this is the last opportunity
for everyone concerned to contribute to peace, communal harmony, safeguarding
the future of the youths, and security of the security.
- “We again request all those still in possession such weapons
to avail themselves of this final chance to surrender them without any fear of
prosecution within the given period. Come forward and choose peace,” the
release stated.
- On February 27, a total of 307 weapons were “surrendered” to
the state authority, including 246 weapons at 1st battalion Manipur Rifles
Campus in Imphal, as per police report.
