Manipur CM N Biren Singh on Monday said that the weapons of the Kuki insurgent groups in Suspension of Operations (SoO) with the government have been found intact during an inspection carried out by a Joint Monitoring Committee comprising the army and the state police.
"The weapons of the groups have been found intact but the government will firmly deal with the use of any illegal weapons in the violence," CM told reporters at Imphal, a day after he met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi and apprised him about the present law and order situation in the state.
The statement assumes significance given the fact that the state government had earlier suspected possible involvement of Kuki insurgent groups in the violence. Army and the state police carried out an inspection of the weapons following such apprehension.
At least 25 Kuki insurgent groups have been in suspension of operation with the government since 2008. Their cadres and leaders are lodged in designated camps and details of their weapons were also submitted to the government as per the ground rules of the agreement. Singh said the joint monitoring committee was also taking steps for the return of the cadres of the groups to their designated camps.
The army also feared involvement of Meitei insurgent groups, who are still out of the peace process.
At least 71 people have died and over 35,000 people were displaced, belonging to both the Kuki and the Meitei communities, due to the ethnic clashes since May 3. The violence started in the Kuki-dominated Churachandpur district following a "solidarity march" organised by tribal students' organisations opposing a move to fulfill the demand for ST status for the majority Meitei community.
Missing weapons
The violence spilled over to several other parts of Manipur. Over 1,000 weapons belonging to security forces were also snatched by miscreants during the riot. More than 500 such weapons have still remained missing. This has raised fears that the miscreants might use these weapons to create further violence.
Army and paramilitary forces are still guarding many of the displaced people while curfew and restriction on use of mobile and broadband internet is still in force.