Manipur: COCOMI Urges Governor to Extend Deadline for Weapon Surrender

The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) has reportedly urged Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla to extend the seven-day deadline set for the surrender of looted and illegal weapons in the state. As per reports, the committee also called for formal discussions with local youth leaders to facilitate a cooperative and effective recovery process.

While acknowledging the necessity of the governor’s appeal, COCOMI expressed concerns that the given timeframe is insufficient for meaningful engagement with the public and key stakeholders. The committee stressed the importance of a non-coercive approach to retrieving weapons from civilian volunteers, emphasizing that forceful measures could hinder long-term peace efforts.

COCOMI further pointed out that the looting and arming of local youth stemmed from the failure of security forces to protect vulnerable villages during the crisis. 

It may be noted that, Governor Bhalla had earlier appealed to all communities to surrender looted police weapons and illegally held arms within a week, warning of strict action against those found in possession of such weapons. Members of the Zomi and Kuki communities in Manipur voluntarily surrendered 16 weapons and ammunition in Churachandpur district following the appeal by the Governor, Assam Rifles said in a statement. The Assam Rifles, in coordination with the Police, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), State Intelligence Agencies, and the State Administration, engaged with Zomi and Kuki community leaders to address their security concerns and assure them of safety.