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Deccan Herald
20-07-2025
- Politics
- Deccan Herald
Handling the Arambai Tenggol tangle in Manipur
Emboldened by the imposition of President's rule in February this year, the Manipur Police, which had hitherto been cautious about taking any legal action against members of the radical outfit - the Arambai Tenggol (AT) - has now adopted a more assertive approach, actively rounding up those who took law in their own July 8, six AT members were arrested from two districts for assaulting Manipur police officials in Bishnupur on June 9. The Meiteis have been astir, demanding the release of the AT leader, Asem Kanan Singh, and even calling for a bandh on June Singh had been arrested by the CBI at Imphal airport over 'his involvement in various criminal activities related to Manipur violence in 2023'. Twelve others who had been detained for questioning have been released. Kanan Singh was a head constable with the Manipur police, but was sacked for his alleged involvement in smuggling of group's radical outfit, AT, raised in 2020 by Leishemba Sanajaoba, the scion of the erstwhile royal family of Manipur and presently a Rajya Sabha member, has been calling the shots in the state. One of the outfit's main objectives is for Meiteis to revert to the native religion of Sanamahism - nature worship - which had been slowly replaced by Vaishnavism that rooted itself in Manipur in the later half of 18th century. .An AT spokesman, announcing the withdrawal of the 10-day bandh call on June 10, said that the 'group was formed as an unarmed socio-cultural organisation to preserve and promote the culture and traditions of Manipur. Circumstances forced us to take up arms'. .But during the mayhem that gripped the state from May 3, 2023, the AT, in collusion with other miscreants, looted weapons and ammunition from the armouries of police training schools, India Reserve Battalions, and police stations. Of the 5,600 arms and over 6.5 lakh rounds of ammunition looted, only 1,500 weapons and 20,000 rounds had been recovered by the police as of October on Arambai Tenggol intensifies in the imposition of President's rule, members of AT and other radical outfits surrendered hundreds of weapons. Simultaneous joint operations, carried out by the Central Armed Police Forces, Army, Assam Rifles and Manipur Police, in mid-June yielded 328 weapons, including SLRs, LMGs and carbines. On July 15, 86 more weapons, including AK Rifles, carbines and pistols, were recovered along with 974 live rounds. Still a large haul of arms and ammunition continue to be in the wrong around 60,000 men on their rolls, armed cadres of the Arambai Tenggol, meaning 'dart-wielding cavalry', move around the valley sporting black T-shirts with AT insignia, threatening locals. The extent to which the AT has spread terror in the state can be gauged from the fact that on a call given by the outfit to all legislators, 37 MLAs and two MPs attended a rally in January last year in Kangla fort, in the heart of MLAs were directed to submit their six demands to the Centre, which included expediting the NRC with 1951 as the cut-off date, abrogation of Suspension of Operations, better known as SoO, with the Kuki-Zo, withdrawal of Assam Rifles as they felt the para military forces was biased, removal of names of illegal migrants from the Schedule Tribe list, complete fencing of Indo-Myanmar border and shifting of Myanmar refugees to neighbouring these, the Centre has accepted the demand for fencing of the Manipur-Myanmar border, work for which has already begun. But there has been stiff opposition to the fencing by both Nagaland and Mizoram governments as they aver that the kin of people residing close to the border are related to those residing across the border, so much so that children from across the border attend schools in their part of the country and return home after school is, therefore, no surprise that a large number of refugees from Myanmar have sought shelter in Mizoram due to the conflict raging between the ethnic groups and Myanmar's Junta government. The Myanmar Air Force has even resorted to strafing hostile villages. These internecine clashes have, therefore, led to mass influx of Myanmarese to neighbouring the SoO tripartite agreement among the Centre, the Manipur government and the Kuki National Organisation, a conglomerate of 17 Kuki outfits, and the United People's Front with eight other Kuki outfits under its umbrella, signed in 2008, has been periodically extended. .The SoO agreement with the Centre and the State which was being extended till 2023 is in a state of limbo since the Manipur government wanted the agreement to be terminated as there were allegations of their active participation in the ethnic conflict during the last two years, though the Kuki-Zo representatives assert that the former militants were all confined to their talks between the Centre and the representatives of Kuki-Zo tribals that took place in New Delhi on June 9 and 16, has also hit a dead end. The Kuki-Zo representatives have been demanding Union Territory status with a legislature for the Kuki-Zo dominated districts. This is, however, being vehemently opposed by the Meiteis, who are resisting any bifurcation of the is time the concerned parties negotiate for peace in the north eastern state that has been periodically rocked by conflicts, impacting its development..(The writer is a retired Inspector General of Police, CRPF)
Deccan Herald
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Deccan Herald
Crackdown on Arambai Tenggol intensifies in Manipur
Sources in a central security force told DH that at least 40 members of the Arambai Tenggol including its 'army chief' Asem Kanan Singh have been arrested by the CBI and other security agencies since the imposition of President's Rule.
Time of India
29-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Manipur under President rule: Officials say drop in violence; spike in drug seizures
Manipur has seen a notable fall in violence since President's rule was imposed in February, with fewer civilian deaths and injuries, and a rise in drug seizures, officials said on Sunday. Security forces including the Manipur Police, Assam Rifles and paramilitary units have also been working to recover thousands of weapons looted from police armouries during the outbreak of violence in May 2023. Despite the relative calm, officials said the recovery of looted arms and the presence of valley-based banned terror groups involved in extortion and petty crimes continue to pose challenges. A recent crackdown on cadres of the Meitei outfit Arambai Tenggol, accused of inciting violence against the Kuki people, has also contributed to peace in some parts of the state. In a key breakthrough, the Manipur Police and CBI jointly arrested Asem Kanan Singh, a dismissed head constable and prominent leader of the group, along with four associates. Singh was wanted for several offences, including an alleged attack on an Additional Superintendent of Police last year. Following Singh's arrest, the outfit announced it would distance itself from violent street activities carried out in its name. Since central rule began on February 13, only one protest-related fatality has been reported, in sharp contrast to the 260 deaths recorded from May 3, 2023, to the start of President's rule. Injuries have also dropped, with just 29 new cases in the last four months compared to 1,776 since May 2023. There have been no reported incidents of arson or vandalism during this period, against over 17,000 such cases earlier. Anti-drug operations have picked up pace, with 84 people arrested under the NDPS Act. Authorities have seized 24.4 kg of heroin, 25.7 kg of brown sugar, 31.8 kg of opium, and more than 379 kg of ganja since February. The issue of missing firearms remains a concern. While no fresh losses have been reported since February, of the 6,020 weapons initially looted, a large number have been recovered or surrendered. In the past four months alone, 2,390 weapons have been seized, many of them confirmed as looted. Security forces have also demolished 63 illegal bunkers recently, adding to the 548 dismantled since May last year. Efforts to tackle extortion continue, with 336 arrests made in the last four months, out of a total of 601 cases. However, the resurgence of banned groups like the UNLF, PLA, KYKL, and PREPAK remains a concern. Officials said these groups are running extortion rackets and even settling matrimonial and property disputes outside the legal system. Police recently arrested members of one such gang.
Hindustan Times
29-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Manipur sees drop in violence, rise in drug seizures under President's rule: Officials
Imphal, Manipur has witnessed a significant decline in violence, with a sharp drop in civilian deaths and injuries and a marked increase in drug seizures since the imposition of President's rule in February, officials said here on Sunday. Manipur sees drop in violence, rise in drug seizures under President's rule: Officials Besides, Manipur Police, Assam Rifles and other paramilitary forces are also working tirelessly to recover thousands of weapons looted from police armouries following the outbreak of violence in May 2023, they said. Despite the relative calm, challenges remain for the security forces to recover thousands of lost arms and addressing the activities of the banned valley-based terrorist groups involved in extortion and petty crimes, they added. The recent crackdown on cadres of Meitei outfit Arambai Tenggol, accused of allegedly engineering violence against the Kuki people and indulging in largescale violence within the valley, has also been helpful in bringing a sense of peace in certain parts of the state, officials said. Recently, a dismissed police head constable of Manipur Police and a prominent Arambai Tenggol leader Asem Kanan Singh and four associates were arrested in a joint operation of Manipur Police and the CBI. Singh was wanted for many cases including an alleged attack on Additional Superintendent of Manipur police last year. After the arrest of Singh, the outfit announced distancing itself from any violent activities being done on the streets in its name. During the period of central rule beginning February 13, only one protest-related fatality has been reported, a stark contrast to the 260 fatalities documented from May 3, 2023, until the enforcement of President's rule, they said. Injuries have also seen a significant drop, with just 29 new cases reported in the last four months compared to a total of 1,776 since May 2023. From February 13 to June 26, the region saw no incidents of arson or vandalism, while cumulative incidents of such nature crossed 17,000 before the imposition of President's rule. In the fight against drug abuse, Manipur Police, Assam Rifles and paramilitary forces have stepped up their operations, resulting in the arrest of 84 people under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act during the central rule period. The security forces have seized 24.4 kg of heroin, 25.7 kg of brown sugar, 31.8 kg of opium, and over 379 kg of 'Ganja', contributing to a stabilisation of the drug issue in the region, officials said. However, the issue of unrecovered firearms continues to pose a significant challenge for the security agencies. Since the imposition of central rule, no new arms have been reported lost from police armouries, but of the initial 6,020 firearms lost, many are understood to have been recovered or surrendered. In the last four months alone, 2,390 weapons were seized out of which many were looted weapons. Moreover, security forces have recently demolished 63 illegal bunkers, adding to the total of 548 that had been dismantled since May 2023. While arrests related to extortion continue, with 336 people apprehended in the last four months out of a total of 601, experts are voicing concerns over the resurgence of banned terror groups, including the United National Liberation Front , People's Liberation Army , Kanglei Yawol Kanba Lup , and People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak . Officials alleged that these groups are running extortion rackets besides indulging in out of court settlements in cases related to matrimonial and property disputes. Manipur Police recently cracked down on such a gang and arrested some people, they added. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
The Hindu
14-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Manipur's Black T-Shirts
Violence returned to Manipur after a brief lull when security personnel picked up Asem Kanan Singh, the self-styled 'army chief' of Arambai Tenggol (AT), a radical Meitei group, from one of its strategic units in Imphal on the night of June 7. The following day, sleuths of the CBI arrested him at the Imphal Airport and brought him to Guwahati for questioning. The AT lifted its 10-day shutdown across the Imphal Valley on the fourth day after officials assuaged tempers by saying Mr. Singh, a suspended Manipur Police head constable, was not arrested for his AT connection but for involvement in several criminal cases. One of these cases related to arms smuggling in 2020 is almost as old as the AT, which derives its name from a poisoned dart-like weapon (Arambai) used by the troops of the Manipuri kings against Burmese invaders and a cavalry platoon (Tenggol). It was no coincidence that the AT's primary fight turned out to be against the Kuki-Zo people, perceived as 'illegal' settlers from Myanmar with the agenda of grabbing the Meitei domain. Founded by Manipur's titular king and the BJP's Rajya Sabha member, Leishemba Sanajaoba, the group uses the 'Salai Taret' flag, representing seven Meitei clans. It adopted a religious and nationalist rhetoric, invoking the pre-Hindu Sanamahi faith of the Meiteis and envisaging a return to the old glory of the Meitei kingdom of Kangleipak. The group is headed by Korounganba Khuman, referred to by his subordinates as pathou, meaning revered leader. The members of the group, estimated to be 60,000 now, can be identified from their black T-shirts bearing a red insignia of three horsemen charging with weapons. The AT came into discussion in 2022, around the same time the Meitei Leepun — a similar radical group founded by Pramot Singh in 2015 — began drawing attention. Both shot to prominence after the ethnic conflict between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities broke out in May 2023, but the more organised, aggressive, and armed AT soon pushed the Meitei Leepun into near-obscurity. The AT scored more on optics and alleged intimidation of those not in line with its outlook, apart from the royal patronage it received. The organisation believes its members are like the warriors who once served the Meitei kings, and one of its major oath-taking ceremonies in 2022 was held at Mr Sanajaoba's house. During the initial days of the conflict, AT members were accused of going on a rampage, organising blockades on roads leading to the hills where Kuki-Zo people living in the Meitei-dominated Imphal Valley fled to, looting arms from the police armouries, and indulging in arson. It was also accused of hounding and killing Kuki-Zo people. Parallel government The group allegedly received the support of former Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren Singh and virtually ran a parallel government during much of the conflict. Kuki-Zo organisations blame the AT, apart from Biren Singh, for the conflict that claimed more than 250 lives. The AT, on the other hand, holds several Kuki-Zo insurgent groups, albeit in ceasefire mode, responsible for starting the fire. This was evident when it summoned two MPs, including Mr. Sanajaoba, and 37 MLAs to Imphal's historic Kangla Fort in January 2024, made them take an oath to preserve the integrity of Manipur and sign a six-point demand to be communicated to the Centre. The AT reportedly assaulted two BJP and a Congress legislator for refusing to sign the document. In a Facebook post before the summoning, the AT said it would consider absentee political leaders as 'enemies of the Meiteis' and would deal with them accordingly. The AT went on the back foot after the President's Rule was imposed in Manipur on February 13, days after Mr. Biren Singh quit as the Chief Minister. Soon after, the group surrendered some 300 firearms during a seven-day ultimatum set for wielders of weapons looted during the peak of the conflict. Often compared with Chhattisgarh's Salwa Judum, a government-trained anti-Maoist militia that degenerated into a vigilante movement that went on a killing spree, The AT has often underlined its nationalist outlook, unlike several Meitei extremist outfits, which insist on Manipur's sovereignty. At a traditional annual event in Imphal on April 13, Mr. Sanajaoba stressed this difference to an audience that included muscular 'men in black' belonging to the AT. He said the group was established to 'defend our land, culture, and identity' and that it was not anti-national. 'Our goal is to defend and protect Manipur and India, but we were compelled to take a role we never intended to. Some may say that Arambai Tenggol have surrendered their weapons and are living as civilians. But, at any given time, we will be ready for the call to defend our land,' he said.
