A Token Surrender: Over six days, valley-based Meitei Militant groups and Kuki-Zo armed volunteers handed over 300 weapons—AKs, SLRs, and mortars—but the bulk of Manipur’s looted arsenal, including sniper rifles and explosives, stays hidden, defying Governor Bhalla’s seven-day ultimatum.
BY PC Bureau
The Shadow of Sophisticated Weapons: How Manipur’s Deadly Arsenal Remains at Large
On May 3, 2023, ethnic violence erupted in Manipur, unleashing a wave of chaos that saw over 6,000 firearms and vast quantities of ammunition looted from police stations and armouries across the state. By February 27, 2025—the final day of Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla’s seven-day ultimatum issued on February 20 for the voluntary surrender of these looted and illegally held weapons—only a fraction had been returned. While the deadline spurred significant action, including a dramatic surrender by the Meitei militia Arambai Tenggol and smaller returns by Kuki militants groups or “Civic Volunteers” from February 21 to 26, the majority of Manipur’s sophisticated arsenal remains unaccounted for, casting a long shadow over the state’s fragile peace.
The Deadline Day: Arambai Tenggol’s Partial Gesture
On February 27, 2025, Imphal West’s 1st Manipur Rifles complex became the stage for a striking scene: a convoy of pickup trucks rolled in, carrying members of Arambai Tenggol and a reported 246 weapons, alongside thousands of rounds of ammunition. This surrender, the largest single event of the week, was billed as a compliance with the Governor’s appeal. Yet, beneath the spectacle, questions swirled about the true nature of the cache.
Looking at the list of the arms surrendered by Meitei radical terrorist group (#ArambaiTenggol) today. It is undoubtedly nothing more than returning of few defective & antique arms looted from the state armories. @RajBhavManipur @manipur_police @PMOIndia @AmitShah… pic.twitter.com/iMes0ne83T
— H S Benjamin Mate (@BenjaminMate1) February 27, 2025
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The surrendered weapons included a visible number of single-barrel rifles—firearms often used for hunting or basic defense. Social media posts from Kuki-Zo advocates, like TingKhongthang on X, accused the group of handing over “license guns” or less lethal arms, a far cry from the automatic and military-grade weapons they were known to possess.
Social media was abuzz with this formalities of surrender. One user Jalhai Haokip (@hatjalhai) wrote on X: “Arms looted in Manipur-AK-series rifles , INSAS rifles, Ghatak rifles, SLRs , INSAS LMGs and other light machine guns, MP-5 rifles, 9mm pistols and .32 pistols, Hand grenades, tear gas shells, smoke guns, stun guns, and detonators, 51mm HE (High Explosive) bombs, Over 600,000 rounds of ammunition of various calibers were looted, including more than 19,000 rounds in a single incident in Bishnupur in August 2023. Yet, what did the Arambai Tenggol surrender? A pitiful collection of single-barrel guns and rusty old carbines, with just a sprinkle of AKs thrown in for appearances. Is this what Mr. Bhalla dares to call a “successful recovery”? It’s beyond absurd- it’s a downright joke.”
Another user Pengpalep ( KUKI PARIVAR )@KimHaokip write: “It’s laughable….funny how they surrendered simple weapons n stash away the sophisticated weapons…. Getting ready for the next upcoming ethnic war?”
Not even one single barrel was “looted” when Arambai Tenggol terrorists raided police armories in #Manipur but now when they “surrender” weapons, all those LMGs and Insas rifles magically turn into single-barrel scrap? Do they really think we are all idiots? They looted… pic.twitter.com/0UjGXUwtq4
— Min งึลมินธัง (@ngulmint) February 27, 2025
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Incidentally, Arambai Tenggol had been linked to major looting incidents: the May 4, 2023, raid on the Pangei training centre yielded 175 INSAS rifles, 98 Self-Loading Rifles (SLRs), and AK-47s, while the August 3, 2023, attack on the 2nd IRB in Bishnupur netted AK rifles, Ghatak rifles, and INSAS Light Machine Guns (LMGs).
Given this history, it’s probable that some sophisticated arms—perhaps a handful of AK-47s, SLRs, or INSAS rifles—were included in the 246, but no official breakdown confirms this. A senior police official, speaking anonymously, had earlier predicted the group would return “over 200 arms” with “thousands of pieces of ammunition,” hinting at a mix that likely included 5.56mm rounds for INSAS and 7.62mm for AK-47s.
The optics of the surrender suggested a strategic move. After a February 25 meeting with Governor Bhalla, where they sought assurances against civilian attacks and security gaps, Arambai Tenggol appeared to offer a token gesture—enough to appease authorities while retaining their most potent firepower. The emphasis on single-barrel rifles in public discourse, coupled with the lack of detailed inventories, fueled speculation that the deadliest weapons remained in their hands.
The Six Days Before: A Scattered Return
From February 21 to 26, roughly 300 weapons were surrendered across Manipur by various individuals and groups, including Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities, in districts like Churachandpur, Imphal West, Kakching, Kangpokpi, and Bishnupur. While these efforts marked a response to the Governor’s call, the returns were dwarfed by the scale of the original theft.
- February 22: In Churachandpur, Kuki-Zo tribes handed over an assortment including one M16 rifle, two AK-series rifles, three INSAS rifles, one 7.62mm SLR, and two M-79 40mm Under-Barrel Grenade Launchers (UBGLs), alongside 64 gelatine sticks and mortar rounds. In Kangpokpi, an AK-47 with two magazines and an INSAS rifle surfaced among other arms. Meanwhile, Meitei surrenders in Imphal valley and Kakching included .303 rifles, SLRs, and bulletproof vests.
- February 23: Imphal East saw an AK-56 rifle and a 7.62mm MAS-series bolt-action sniper rifle surrendered to the police, alongside smaller caches elsewhere.
- February 25: Across seven districts, 87 firearms emerged, including 12 carbine machine guns and two SLRs in Imphal West, an AK-47 and a Smith & Wesson revolver in Kangpokpi, and five double-barrel shotguns in Jiribam. Churachandpur added SLRs and INSAS LMGs to the tally.
- February 26: By this date, total surrenders hovered just under 300, with AK-series rifles, INSAS rifles, and SLRs dominating, supplemented by mortars, 9mm carbines, and IEDs in smaller numbers.
Ammunition returns topped 3,500 rounds by February 26, covering calibres like 5.56mm (INSAS), 7.62mm (AK-47), and .303 (SLRs), with mortars and grenades sporadically reported. Security forces also seized additional arms—like pistols and IEDs in Tengnoupal—but these were not voluntary surrenders.
When the Arms were looted from state armories there was no SBBL & DBBL but magically 88 SBBL & 20 DBBL surfaces out in the open. The question is where have those sophisticated arms gone…???@narendramodi @PIBHomeAffairs @AmitShah @AmitShahOffice @Spearcorps @BhardwajAnanya pic.twitter.com/2VuCfz2rLj
— Nehamiah Len Haokip (@LenHaokip9) February 27, 2025
The Gap: What Remains at Large
By February 27, combining Arambai Tenggol’s 246 weapons with the prior 300 or so, approximately 550–600 firearms had been returned—less than 10% of the 6,000 looted since May 2023. The missing arsenal is staggering:
- AK-47s and AK-56s: Hundreds were looted, yet only dozens surfaced in surrenders. Arambai Tenggol’s history suggests they retain many, possibly hidden in valley strongholds.
- INSAS Rifles and LMGs: Of the 175 stolen from Pangei alone, far fewer returned. Their presence in both Meitei and Kuki-Zo hands indicates widespread retention.
- SLRs and Ghatak Rifles: SLRs appeared regularly, but Ghatak rifles—looted in Bishnupur—were absent from surrender lists, hinting at deliberate withholding.
- M16s and Sniper Rifles: Rare mentions (e.g., one M16 in Churachandpur, one sniper in Imphal East) contrast with their known circulation among militants.
- Explosives: Mortars, UBGLs, and IEDs trickled in, but the bulk of the “lakhs of pieces” of ammunition looted—plus advanced explosives—remain unrecovered.
Why They Stay Hidden
The partial surrenders reveal a calculated standoff. Arambai Tenggol’s focus on single-barrel rifles suggests a ploy to maintain combat readiness while feigning compliance. Kuki-Zo groups, under pressure in Churachandpur, returned more automatic weapons, yet likely held back reserves amid distrust of Meitei militias and security forces. The Governor’s promise of no punitive action expired on February 27, and Chief Secretary P.K. Singh’s warning of crackdowns loomed, yet the fear of disarmament in a volatile region kept many weapons underground. Posts on X, like hatjalhai’s, called the process a “pathetic farce,” noting the absence of MP-5 rifles, tear gas shells, and smoke guns—items looted but unseen in returns.
The Lingering Threat
As of February 27, 2025, Manipur’s sophisticated weapons—AK-47s, INSAS rifles, SLRs, M16s, and explosives—remain at large in numbers exceeding 5,000. Hidden in villages, forests, and urban caches, they fuel an uneasy stalemate. Arambai Tenggol’s strategic surrender and the scattered returns of February 21–26 failed to dent the arsenal amassed since 2023. With ethnic tensions unresolved and security forces stretched thin, these arms promise continued instability, their lethal potential lurking just beyond the reach of the Governor’s deadline.
