Manipur CM orders 15-day deadline for illegal weapon surrender; over 1400 recovered

Guwahati: Manipur Chief Minister Khemchand Singh on Wednesday stated that anyone in possession of illegal weapons, whether in the hills or the valley, should surrender the weapons within 15 days through their respective Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) or Superintendent of Police.

The Chief Minister was speaking at the function on “Display on the Initiatives towards bringing Normalcy in Manipur” held at the 1st Battalion Manipur Rifles Parade Ground, Imphal on Wednesday.

Singh further said that anyone who fails to surrender the illegal weapons within the stipulated period will be dealt with in accordance with the law. He mentioned that the progress of the State had been adversely affected since the crisis began on May 3, 2023.


He said that after the inception of the new Government on 4th February 2026, peace outreach initiatives were undertaken in various districts to bring lasting peace in the State. He said that during the President’s Rule, the law-and-order situation in the State was stabilised.

The Chief Minister recalled that during his Jiribam visit, he met with representatives of all the communities residing in the district, including the Hmar, Paite, Meitei and Meitei Pangal communities. They shared a meal together, helping to bridge the trust deficit and agreed to work together towards peace, he added.

Singh maintained that the Government had made continuous efforts towards peace by visiting different places that could not be visited earlier due to the crisis. He said that the arms and ammunition displayed were recovered by the security personnel from February 5, 2026, till date. Over 1400 weapons have been recovered during this period, he added.

The Chief Minister commended the efforts of the teams led by Mukesh Singh, Director General of Police (DGP), Inspector General of the Border Security Force, Inspector General of Assam Rifles (South), Inspector General of CRPF for recovering such large cache of arms and ammunitions during such short span of time.

Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam warned that strict action will be initiated against any organisation or individual involved in extortion, intimidation and causing harassment to the transporters along the National Highways. He added that the government is planning to book the extortionists and miscreants along the National Highways under the National Security Act (NSA).

DGP Mukesh Singh said that during the period from February to August 2026, 1422 firearms, over 7000 rounds of ammunitions and 1137 explosives have been recovered after the sustained efforts conducted by Manipur Police, Central Armed Police Forces, Army, Assam Rifles and other security and law enforcement agencies. A total of 491 extremists have been arrested, he added. To protect the young generation, the Manipur Police have strengthened anti-narcotics operations in the State.

Official reports indicated that during the ethnic violence that erupted in Manipur on May 3, 2023, more than 6,000 sophisticated weapons of various categories and several lakh rounds of ammunition were looted from police stations, police outposts and security force armouries by mobs, armed attackers and militants.

More than 260 people were killed, over 1,500 injured, and more than 60,000 displaced after ethnic violence broke out between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities on May 3, 2023. The violence erupted after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status.