2 Arambai Tenggol members arrested, 11 sophisticated firearms seized in Manipur

Manipur Police have arrested two members of the Meitei group Arambai Tenggol (AT) for their alleged involvement in arms trafficking and seized 11 sophisticated firearms from their possession, an official statement said on Monday (September 1, 2025).

The AT members were nabbaed in Imphal West district on Saturday (August 30, 2025).

“They were allegedly in the possession of illegal firearms for the purpose of weapon trafficking and for committing prejudicial activities,” the police statement said.

Seven HK33 rifles, two M4A1 carbines, two .45 pistols, 40 empty magazines of different types and 100 cartridges of .45 calibre were seized from their possession, it said.

The arrested persons were identified as Laishram Tondomba Singh (27) and Tourangbam Amarjit Meitei (20), both residents of Lamding Mamang Leikai in Thoubal district.

They were produced before a court, which sent them to a nine-day police custody.

Arambai Tenggol, in a statement issued on Monday (September 1, 2025), claimed, “The prejudicial activities of the two arrested were not related in any way with the group and were being done on their personal level.”

Arambai Tenggol has been accused by Kuki groups of being widely involved in ethnic violence in the state.

The group also surrendered more than 240 firearms to the law enforcement agencies in February following calls from Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla to lay down arms.

More than 260 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and adjoining hills-based Kukis in Manipur since May 2023.