Following an appeal by Governor Ajay Bhalla earlier this year to surrender illegal arms, a total of 1,089 weapons have been voluntarily handed over by various groups and individuals.This brings the total number of recovered weapons to 5,859, officials said, adding that the largest recovery took place on the night of June 13–14, when Manipur Police and security forces recovered 328 weapons from five districts in the Imphal Valley.“From the midnight of July 3 to the morning of July 4, 2025, security forces conducted coordinated search operations across the hill districts of Tengnoupal, Kangpokpi, Chandel, and Churachandpur, acting on specific intelligence inputs. The joint teams—comprising Manipur Police, Assam Rifles, Indian Army, and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs)—uncovered large caches of arms, ammunition, explosives, and other warlike materials from concealed locations,” Manipur Police had said in one of its ‘X’ posts.Security forces have intensified operations against criminal and extortion networks. So far, over 600 extortion-related cases have been registered, and more than 320 arrests made, police said, adding that nearly 12 underground operatives affiliated with various militant outfits have also been apprehended.The efforts of the police and security forces reflect a systematic attempt to dismantle insurgent financing and logistics networks, officials said. They added that improvements in the situation could be attributed to better coordination among central forces, proactive engagement by community leaders, and a growing willingness among rival groups to pursue dialogue.
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