New Delhi: Seventeen men allegedly impersonating registered cadres of Kuki armed groups have been arrested during a joint security operation at Sinai Camp in Manipur, with security personnel recovering 24 firearms, explosives, ammunition and communication equipment.
The operation was conducted on October 23 by Manipur Police, the Quick Action Team of the Central Reserve Police Force and the CoBRA unit. Sinai Camp is a designated camp under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) arrangement, which has come under renewed scrutiny amid continuing tensions in the state.
According to police, the arrested men allegedly used false identities to pose as members of recognised armed groups. Eight claimed to belong to the Kuki National Army, while the remaining nine allegedly identified themselves as members of the Kuki Liberation Army. All 17 were arrested following verification at the camp.
The seized items included 24 firearms, 38 magazines, a substantial quantity of ammunition, explosives, wireless communication equipment and other combat gear.
A case has been registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Arms Act, the Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act and the Explosive Substances Act. The accused have been remanded to eight days of police custody until October 31, and their medical examinations have been completed.
Investigators are examining the alleged impersonation, unauthorised possession of weapons, possible violations of SoO ground rules and the potential involvement of camp functionaries. The circumstances surrounding the presence of the weapons at the camp are also under investigation.
Arrests Follow Civilian Killings Near Sunurok Hill
The operation comes days after three Meitei civilians were killed on October 19 near Sunurok Hill along the Imphal East and Kangpokpi district boundary. The victims were reportedly collecting firewood when they came under attack.
Khundrakpam MLA Thokchom Lokeshwar Singh had raised concerns about the possibility that the attack was planned and carried out from the nearby Sinai Camp. He called for the camp’s removal and action against those responsible, prompting renewed demands for accountability.
However, investigators have not established any direct connection between the 17 arrested men and the civilian killings.
Manipur Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam has stated that the SoO agreement expired on September 4, 2026, and had not been renewed. He has also maintained that the arrangement does not permit fresh recruitment.
The arrests have intensified scrutiny of security arrangements at designated camps, the verification of individuals staying there and the mechanisms governing armed groups operating under the SoO framework.
