New Delhi:
It has been almost 18 months since violence erupted in Manipur, but nearly 70 per cent of the looted weapons have still not been recovered. Although the total number of recovered weapons has reached nearly 3,000, the figure also includes those that were not looted, a senior official told News18.
According to a top-level police official, recoveries have seen improvised weapons which are deadlier and were in the ecosystem since a very long time. These weapons, which include M16, AK series, assault rifles etc, were modified and improvised to enhance the accuracy and damage from weapons.
Officials suspect that a significant number of the looted weapons may have crossed the Manipur border and most of them are believed to be used by miscreants in the violence. A total of around 6,000 weapons were looted during the early days of violence.
Meanwhile, the recovery of ammunition remains very low. Police are struggling to convince people to surrender weapons despite efforts.
In the past week, a new wave of violence has emerged, and 13 people, including children, have been kidnapped. A senior police official said so far, there is no information about the whereabouts of those kidnapped by militants. Police are concerned that the situation may worsen in the coming days.
“We are trying to trace the whereabouts of the kidnapped individuals. The situation is becoming more tense every day, and various forces have been deployed in areas where miscreants could disrupt law and order,” a senior Manipur official told News18.
Another administrative official said extending the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) to the areas of six police stations will help the government control the situation.
“The operational deployment of the army has been extended. This will allow us to deploy a larger force in the Valley area. The recent encounter by the CRPF, where 10 militants were eliminated, has been a significant boost for the police. We have also planned to redeploy forces in strategically important areas,” a senior police official said.
State officials are also looking for a political solution. The Centre has already said representatives from both sides will be called for peace talks, which could help achieve a long-term truce.
