Manipur Govt Asks People To Surrender Illegal Weapons In 15 Days Amid Reports Of Use By Miscreants

The Manipur government has issued a formal statement stating that all illegal weapons, whether owned by individuals or groups within the state, must be surrendered immediately.

Manipur Government on Friday (September 22) issued a statement declaring that all illegal weapons, regardless of ownership by individuals or groups within the state, must be surrendered promptly. The government's directive mandates that this surrender process be completed within a stipulated timeframe of 15 days from the date of the announcement.

Earlier in the day, a Special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Imphal granted bail to five armed miscreants who were apprehended last week by Manipur Police while travelling in police camouflage and armed with sophisticated weapons and ammunition. The court ruled that, while one of the accused, Moirangthem Anand Singh, was a member of a banned Meitei militant group, the police had failed to present any evidence that any of the accused had committed any terrorist acts.

Since the Unlawful Activities (Prohibition) Act was amended in 2008 to include stringent bail provisions, only a few accused have been granted bail in UAPA cases, with the majority receiving bail from the concerned High Court or the Supreme Court.

READ | Manipur Protest: 5 Men Arrested For Carrying Arms Released On Bail Amid Imphal Agitation, Curfew

The court stated in its order that "the IO of the case cannot show a strong prima facie case against all the accused persons for the commission of terrorist acts and prejudicial activities against the State attracting section 16 UA(P) Act and section 121-A of the IPC as of now."

On September 16, Manipur police arrested five people for carrying sophisticated weapons and wearing camouflage uniforms. According to the police, all five men were taken into custody and remanded before a judicial magistrate.

READ | Tension Persists In Manipur's Imphal Amid Curfew After Protests Over Release Of 5 Men

In other news, the Manipur government has issued a show cause notice to a private telecom company for providing "internet data services in mobile phones while the suspension of mobile data service is still in effect," according to a PTI official.

According to the official, internet data services in mobile phones were discovered in some areas of Churachandpur and the neighbouring Bishnupur district on September 20.