Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Friday extended the deadline for the surrender of looted and illegal arms until 4 PM on March 6. Mr Bhalla had on February 20 urged warring groups to voluntarily surrender weapons robbed from security forces and other illegally held arms within seven days. The Centre had imposed President’s rule in the state on February 13 after Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned. More than 250 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between Meiteis and Kuki-Zo groups since May 2023. The state assembly, which has a tenure till 2027, has been put under suspended animation. The deadline of which ended on Thursday has now been extended to March 6, the Governor’s office said in a statement. The statement assured that no punitive action would be taken against those who surrender their weapons within this period, emphasising that \”this is the last opportunity for everyone concerned to contribute to peace, communal harmony, the future of our youth, and the security of our society\”
