More than 1,000 illegal and looted arms, along with ammunition, were voluntarily surrendered to security forces in Manipur during a two-week amnesty period that ended on March 6, according to police reports. The provisional tally is expected to rise as data from all districts is compiled in the state capital, Imphal, currently under President’s Rule.

The surrendered arsenal, spanning handguns, machine guns, grenades, mortars, and INSAS and AK-56 rifles, was collected from five valley districts, five hill districts, and Jiribam. Over 760 weapons came from the valley, with the remainder from the hills and Jiribam. Authorities are yet to distinguish between looted and illegally purchased arms. The Naga-majority districts, unaffected by the ethnic violence that has claimed at least 250 lives since May 3, 2023, reported no surrenders.

The amnesty, announced by Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on February 20, initially offered a seven-day window for surrendering weapons without punitive action. Following public requests, the deadline was extended to March 6. The initiative saw peak activity on February 27, with 307 arms surrendered, including 246 from the Meitei group Arambai Tenggol. On the final day, 196 weapons were handed over across eight districts.

Additional items like bulletproof jackets, helmets, and locally made mortars were also surrendered. Post-deadline, security forces recovered 36 more arms, 129 rounds of ammunition, and destroyed 15 illegal bunkers in Kangpokpi district during combing operations.

The ethnic clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities have displaced thousands since last May. President’s Rule was imposed on February 13 after Chief Minister N Biren Singh’s resignation, suspending the state assembly until 2027. Authorities hailed the surrenders as a step toward restoring peace in the strife-torn northeastern state.