Imphal, Oct 19 (IANS) Manipur Director General of Police Rajiv Singh on Saturday said that arms and ammunition kept by a section of people must be returned to the authorities and dialogue between the warring communities would facilitate restoration of peace and normalcy in the state.

On the sideline of the 133rd Manipur Police Raising Day, the DGP said that “reduction of weaponisation of the society” would greatly help to normalise the situation and restore peace.

He said that arms and ammunition which are still there in the society should return to the security forces, from where they were taken away or looted.

“Manipur Police and other Central forces are working round the clock to recover the arms and ammunition that were looted from the police and other security forces after the ethnic violence started in the state in May last year,” Singh told the media.

Terming the prevailing situation in Manipur as very challenging and complex, the police chief said : “We have been trying to tackle the situation with the best possible manner and strength and with the cooperation of all stakeholders.”

“There are problems. We are trying to solve the problem at the quickest possible time because peace and normalcy is necessary for the welfare of all and specially for the young and future generations,” the DGP said.

Urging various organisations not to hold any agitations and road blockade, the senior IPS officer said there has been a lot of damage already been happened and normal life has been disrupted.

Claiming that the situation has improved in the last one and a half years, the state police chief said that incidents of violence, deaths and injuries have come down though there are sporadic incidents of arsoning and firing taking place.

All forces are alert to prevent further escalation of violence in the state, he added.

“The only solution to the current problem finally would be a dialogue between both communities. All the stakeholders must come forward for the talks. We are a very civilian-friendly force and deal with the protestors in a very professional manner,” Singh pointed out and said that violence would not solve the problem of Manipur.

He said that all the Civil Society Organisation, leaders of various communities, and political parties must sit together to find a way out to solve the crisis.

The Manipur police chief’s statement comes five days after the crucial meeting between MLAs of the warring Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities in New Delhi on October 15. Naga legislators also attended the vital meeting.

Over 17 months after the ethnic violence erupted in Manipur, the Ministry of Home Affairs held the first meeting with all three major communities - Meitei, Kuki, and Naga - in a bid to find a way to a peaceful solution to the protracted unrest.

Sources said that around seven Ministers and 13 legislators from Meitei, Kuki and Naga communities took part in the meeting called by the Intelligence Bureau under the MHA.