17 men allegedly impersonating registered cadres of Kuki armed groups were arrested during a joint security operation at Sinai Camp in Manipur. Sinai is a designated camp under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) arrangement. Security personnel also seized 24 firearms, explosives, ammunition and communication equipment, police said.
The October 23 operation by Manipur Police, the Quick Action Team of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and CoBRA has brought the camp under renewed scrutiny amid mounting demands for accountability following the October 19 killing of three Meitei civilians near Sunurok Hill along the Imphal East–Kangpokpi district boundary.
According to police, the 17 arrested allegedly used false identities to pose as registered cadres—eight as members of the Kuki National Army (KNA) and nine as members of the Kuki Liberation Army (KLA). All 17 were arrested following verification at the camp.
The seized items included 24 firearms, 38 magazines, a large 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.
Police said the investigation would examine the alleged impersonation, unauthorised possession of arms, possible violations of SoO ground rules and the potential involvement of camp functionaries. The police statement did not disclose why the accused allegedly used false identities or establish whether they were seeking financial or other benefits.
The operation comes amid renewed questions over the verification of individuals staying at designated camps and the accountability mechanisms governing them. The seizure of a substantial cache of weapons and combat equipment has added to the scrutiny, although investigators have yet to establish the circumstances in which the arms were held at the camp.
MLA Flagged Camp After Civilian Killings
Sinai Camp had come under scrutiny following the October 19 attack near Sunurok Hill, in which three Meitei civilians were killed. The victims were reportedly collecting firewood when they came under attack.
Khundrakpam MLA Thokchom Lokeshwar Singh was among the first to raise the possibility that the attack could have been planned and executed from the nearby Sinai Camp. He demanded the camp's immediate removal and action against those responsible, while questioning the security arrangements in the area.
The killings triggered protests and renewed demands for the removal of the camp, amid concerns that the incident could reignite tensions between Meitei and Kuki communities.
The arrests at Sinai Camp, however, should be distinguished from the investigation into the civilian killings. Police have not established any direct link between the 17 individuals arrested during the camp operation and the October 19 attack.
The operation has also drawn attention to the status of the SoO arrangement. Manipur Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam has said the agreement expired on September 4, 2026, and had not been renewed. He has also stated that the arrangement does not permit fresh recruitment.
Investigators are now examining how the 17 individuals allegedly came to be present at the designated camp, whether they had any links to the participating armed groups and who controlled the weapons and other equipment seized during the operation.
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