Security forces in Manipur have recovered 5,066 of the 6,020 weapons looted from police armouries during the ongoing conflict, achieving a recovery rate of approximately 84.15 per cent according to a report in New 18. However, the recovery of another 4,062 weapons from other sources has raised fresh concerns over the scale of illegal arms circulation in the state.
The figures indicate that a total of 9,128 weapons have been recovered, including those looted from police establishments. Despite the recovery of nearly 85 per cent of the looted weapons, 954 remain unaccounted for, raising concerns over their possible continued circulation among armed groups and other unauthorised elements.
Security forces, including Manipur Police and central forces, have reportedly been conducting an average of nearly half a dozen raids daily, sometimes with the involvement of specialised units, leading to the recovery of firearms and ammunition from different locations.
A senior police officer, quoted by News18, said that most of the weapons recovered recently were not among those looted from police armouries. Some were old firearms, while others were sophisticated or modified weapons.
The recovery of 4,062 additional weapons, in particular, has drawn attention to the possible networks involved in procuring and circulating illegal firearms in Manipur. Senior officials have reportedly suggested that a substantial number of these weapons may have originated from Myanmar and that their characteristics could help identify their source.
However, the origin and supply routes of the recovered firearms require further investigation and independent verification through forensic examination, serial-number tracing and intelligence inputs.
The scale of recoveries raises serious questions about the extent of unauthorised arms circulation in the state. With hundreds of looted police weapons still unaccounted for and thousands of other firearms recovered, the possibility of a much larger number of weapons remaining in circulation cannot be ruled out.
The continuing presence of illegal firearms poses a serious challenge to efforts to restore normalcy and maintain security in Manipur.