New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed the security situation in Manipur on Saturday in New Delhi, the first such meeting after the imposition of the President’s rule in the northeastern state.
Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla and top officials of the Manipur government, Army, paramilitary forces attended the meeting.
The President’s rule was imposed in Manipur on February 13 after N Biren Singh resigned as the chief minister. The state assembly, which has a tenure till 2027, has been put under suspended animation.
The governor, on February 20, appealed to everyone holding illegal and looted arms to surrender. During the seven-day period, more than 300 weapons were surrendered by the public, primarily in the valley districts.
These include 246 firearms surrendered by Meitei radical group Arambai Tenggol.
The governor on Friday extended the deadline for the surrender of looted and illegal arms until 4 pm on March 6 following demands by people from both hill and valley areas for additional time.
He also assured people that until no punitive action would be taken if the looted weapons were returned before the deadline
The meeting is also significant because it is being held at a time when all forces, including the army on the ground in Manipur and the central intelligence agencies, are working to get back the looted weapons.
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Central agencies have been working with both Kuki and Meitei groups to get them to surrender weapons under the amnesty scheme offered by Governor Ajay Bhalla.
Manipur has been witnessing ethnic violence since May 2023 and since then 250 people have lost their lives in the restive state.
