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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)
Hindustan Times
23-06-2025
- Hindustan Times
Arambai Tenggol member arrested for murder amid Manipur crackdown
A Meitei group Arambai Tenggol member has been arrested for his alleged involvement in the murder of a 29-year-old man, which sparked fresh tensions in the ethnic violence-hit Manipur this month. Police said Longjam Khaba alias Boi, 35, is the main accused in the murder of Chesam Abdul Kadir, who had a 65% physical disability. The violence between Meiteis and Kukis in Manipur has since May 2023 left around 250 people dead and thousands displaced. (PTI/File) Kadir's body was found on Tuesday last, days after Arambai Tengol members allegedly abducted him. Police fired tear gas shells to disperse the protesters, who took to the streets demanding action against Kadir's killers. Nine people, including six Arambai Tengol members, were earlier arrested in the case. Police said the arrested accused admitted that Kadir died while they 'questioned him' over an alleged theft attempt and buried his body near a riverbank. The murder came to light amid a series of arrests of Arambai Tenggol members as part of an ongoing crackdown in Manipur. On June 12 and 13, two Arambai Tenggol members were arrested for their alleged involvement in a June 9 mob attack that left a police officer injured. The arrest of five Arambai Tenggol members, including Kanan Singh, this month over their involvement in the ethnic violence in the state, triggered the latest wave of unrest in Manipur. Hundreds of protesters resorted to arson and threw stones at security forces as the news of the arrest broke. The Arambai Tenggol demanded the immediate release of the five and announced a 10-day shutdown, which was called off four days later. Kanan Singh was dismissed from the police force this year over his alleged involvement in smuggling weapons and looting armouries. The authorities suspended broadband and mobile data services in Imphal East and West, Kakching, Thoubal, and Bishnupur, saying some 'anti-social elements might use social media' to incite the public in the aftermath of Kanan Singh's arrest. A curfew was reimposed in Bishnupur for the first time this year. The movement of people in the valley districts was restricted due to apprehension of a breach of peace. The protracted violence between Meiteis and Kukis in Manipur, triggered in May 2023, has left around 250 people dead and thousands displaced. Meiteis live largely in the plains of the Imphal valley, and the Kukis in the hills. They have withdrawn to their respective strongholds. The groups have since 2023 set up road blockades on highways to restrict each other's and the movement of essential items between their strongholds. Kuki leaders have blamed Arambai Tenggol for the violence. Combing and cordon-and-search operations were separately underway across the state as part of an ongoing crackdown on extortion and militant activity. On Sunday, security forces arrested four members of the proscribed People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (Progressive) in Imphal East district. Police said SLR rifles, 303 rifles, a light machine gun, a modified 303 sniper rifle, grenades, smoke devices, grenade launchers, detonators, and empty cartridges and magazines were subsequently recovered from Kalika in Imphal East. A member of the banned People's Liberation Army accused of extorting money from schools and private clinics was also arrested on Sunday.
Hindustan Times
17-06-2025
- Hindustan Times
Person with disability found dead in Manipur; Arambai Tengol members held
A 29-year-old person with a disability was found dead in Imphal West on Tuesday, days after the members of the Meitei group Arambai Tengol allegedly abducted him, sparking fresh tensions in the ethnic violence-hit Manipur. Residents took to the streets demanding action against Chesam Abdul Kadir's killers. Police fired tear gas shells to disperse the protesters, who retaliated by throwing stones and using slingshots. Police said Kadir went missing on June 10. Nine people, including six Arambai Tengol members, were arrested in the case and remanded in police custody until June 28. Police also seized five vehicles. A police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the arrested accused admitted that Kadir died while they 'questioned him' over an alleged theft attempt. 'They also confessed to burying his body near a riverbank.' Yunus Khan of the Disabled Development Association of Manipur said Kadir was assaulted and killed mercilessly. 'He had a Unique Disability ID issued by the government and had a 65% disability. Disabled individuals are often discriminated against and falsely accused, which must be stopped.' The murder came to light amid a series of arrests of Arambai Tenggol members as part of an ongoing crackdown in Manipur. On June 12 and 13, two Arambai Tenggol members were arrested for their alleged involvement in a June 9 mob attack that left additional police superintendent Wangkhomba Okramcha injured. The arrest of five Arambai Tenggol members, including Kanan Singh, this month over their involvement in the ethnic violence in the state, triggered the latest wave of unrest in Manipur. Hundreds of protesters resorted to arson and threw stones at security forces as the news of the arrest broke. The Arambai Tenggol demanded the immediate release of the five and announced a 10-day shutdown, which was called off four days later. Kanan Singh was dismissed from the police force this year over his alleged involvement in smuggling weapons and looting armouries. The authorities suspended broadband and mobile data services in Imphal East and West, Kakching, Thoubal, and Bishnupur, saying some 'anti-social elements might use social media' to incite the public in the aftermath of Kanan Singh's arrest. A curfew was reimposed in Bishnupur for the first time this year. The movement of people in the valley districts was restricted due to apprehension of a breach of peace. The protracted violence between Meiteis and Kukis in Manipur was triggered in May 2023 and has left around 250 people dead and thousands displaced. Meiteis live largely in the plains of the Imphal valley, and the Kukis in the hills. They have withdrawn to their respective strongholds. The groups have since 2023 set up road blockades on highways to restrict each other's and the movement of essential items between their strongholds. Kuki leaders have blamed Arambai Tenggol for the violence.
Hindustan Times
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Manipur crackdown: 5 Arambai Tenggol members held, more arrests expected
Five members of the Meitei group Arambai Tenggol have been arrested in connection with the kidnapping of a civilian and the assault on two police personnel, people aware of the matter said on Monday, and added it was part of an ongoing crackdown in the ethnic violence-hit Manipur. The people said the three Huidrom Somokanta Singh, Huidrom Dipak Singh, and Thingujam Ranjit Singh were produced before a magistrate and remanded in seven-day police custody. Police said others involved in the case were being traced. On June 12 and 13, two Arambai Tenggol members were arrested for their alleged involvement in a mob attack on June 9 that left additional police superintendent Wangkhomba Okramcha injured. The arrest of five Arambai Tenggol members, including Kanan Singh, this month over their involvement in the violence in the state triggered the latest wave of unrest in Manipur. Hundreds of protesters resorted to arson and threw stones at security forces as the news of the arrest broke. The Arambai Tenggol demanded their immediate release and announced a 10-day shutdown, which was called off four days later. Kanan Singh was dismissed from the police force this year over his alleged involvement in smuggling weapons and looting armouries. The authorities suspended broadband and mobile data services in Imphal East and West, Kakching, Thoubal, and Bishnupur, saying some 'anti-social elements might use social media' to incite the public in the aftermath of Kanan Singh's arrest. A curfew was reimposed in Bishnupur for the first time this year. The movement of people in the valley districts was restricted due to apprehension of a breach of peace. The protracted violence between Meiteis and Kukis in Manipur was triggered in May 2023 and has left around 250 people dead and thousands displaced. Meiteis live largely in the plains of the Imphal valley, and the Kukis in the hills. They have withdrawn to their respective strongholds. The groups have since 2023 set up road blockades on highways to restrict each other's and the movement of essential items between their strongholds. A Manipur Police statement said 'multiple militants' belonging to banned outfits have also been apprehended in the ongoing crackdown in the state. Authorities said further arrests are expected in the coming days.
Time of India
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Indore Man Killed on Honeymoon Wife Confesses to Chilling Murder Plot
News • 4 days ago Manipur is once again gripped by unrest following the arrest of Kanan Singh, a key figure from the Arambai Tenggol group, by the CBI. His arrest, linked to the 2023 Manipur violence, sparked immediate and widespread protests across the Imphal Valley. Violent clashes between agitators and security forces have led to injuries, bus torching, and gunshots, pushing the state to the brink. Authorities have imposed Section 144 and implemented internet blackouts in five districts to curb the spread of misinformation and prevent further escalation. The situation remains highly volatile as Manipur's long-standing ethnic and political tensions resurface, with even threats of self-immolation highlighting the extreme sensitivity. Stay updated on the latest developments, government actions, and the impact on local communities as Manipur grapples with this critical moment.
