Gun loot: Manipur may go soft on Arambai Tenggol members

We have appealed to individuals and armed groups still in possession of such weapons to surrender them voluntarily to avoid further arrests and enforcement action,” Manipur Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam said. Photo: X/@KonthoujamG

The Manipur government may be lenient on Arambai Tenggol members while cracking down hard on those who looted weapons from police facilities soon after the ethnic conflict erupted in May 2023, state Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam said on Tuesday (June 23, 2026).

On the sidelines of an event in Imphal, he said the government was trying to avoid arresting members of Arambai Tenggol, a radical group at the forefront of ethnic conflict in the state before the imposition of President’s rule in February 2025. But he maintained that efforts to recover illegally held arms and restore normalcy in Manipur would not relent.

In 2023, more than 5,600 firearms, including INSAS and AK-series rifles, and 500,000 rounds of ammunition were looted from state armories and police stations in the state. Among the groups accused of plundering them was the Arambai Tenggol, which means “cavalry with arrows”.

“Discussions have taken place with the Director General of Police regarding the ongoing operations associated with the group. We have called on individuals and armed groups still in possession of such weapons to surrender them voluntarily to avoid further arrests and enforcement,” Mr Konthoujam said.

Insisting that disarmament was necessary for the return of lasting peace to Manipur, he said the main objective of the ongoing operations was to recover looted weapons and ensure free movement of persons across the state.

Manipur is inhabited by three main communities – Meitei, Naga and Kuki-Zo. The state has been virtually divided between these communities since the beginning of the ethnic conflict three years ago.

Mr. Konthoujam further appealed to the people of Imphal Valley to refrain from activities that could trigger unrest. His dismissal followed protests by women across the valley demanding the release of three Arambai Tenggol members arrested by the National Investigation Agency during the night of June 19-20.

Members of Meira Paibi, an all-women civil society organization, claimed that members of Arambai Tenggol took self-defense measures at a critical time when the government was unable to ensure the safety of civilians.

On Monday (June 22, 2026), a group of women activists submitted a memorandum to Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla demanding the “immediate and unconditional release” of the arrested Arambai Tenggol members.

“Arambai Tenggol is not an armed group but a socio-cultural organization formed to preserve and protect the identity of the Meitei community,” Thokchom Chandrasakhi Devi, one of the activists, said later.

Published – 23 Jun 2026 22:50 IST