46 Militants Lay Down Arms at Manipur 'Homecoming' Ceremony

In a place called Manipur, in India, some people who used to fight with guns decided to stop.

They are called militants, and 46 of them gave up their weapons at a special event called a 'Homecoming Ceremony.'

The event was held at a parade ground in Imphal, the capital city, and was organized by the government.

The Chief Minister, Yumnam Khemchand Singh, welcomed them and said that holding guns had not brought peace.

He had earlier given people 15 days to hand over illegal weapons.

The government promised the former fighters a monthly stipend for three years, a fixed deposit, and job training to help them start new lives.

The weapons surrendered included rifles, pistols, and rocket-propelled grenades.

This is part of a bigger effort to make peace in Manipur after ethnic violence started in May 2023.

That violence has killed at least 260 people and left thousands homeless.

The government hopes more people will choose peace and dialogue instead of fighting.