Imphal, August 31, 2025: In a significant security operation, Manipur Police on Saturday, August 30, 2025, arrested two members of the Arambai Tenggol (AT) group in the Imphal West district, seizing a large cache of sophisticated illegal weapons. The arrests and subsequent seizure point to a broader network of arms trafficking amid the state's ongoing ethnic tensions.
The arrestees were identified as Laishram Tondomba Singh, 27, and Tourangbam Amarjit Meitei, 20, both residents of Thoubal District. According to a police statement, the individuals were allegedly in possession of the illegal arms for the purpose of weapon trafficking and for "committing prejudicial activities."
The seized items included:
• 7 HK33 Rifles
• 2 M4A1 Carbine Guns
• 2 GLOCK .45 Auto Pistols with four magazines
• 28 empty magazines for HK33 Rifles
• 8 empty magazines for M4A1 Carbine Guns
• 100 rounds of .45 ammunition
Additionally, police recovered two luggage bags, four mobile phones, two wallets with Rs. 4,430 in cash, two Aadhaar cards, and a four-wheeler with its key. Following their arrest, the two men were produced before a court and remanded to nine days of police custody for further investigation.
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The arrest comes amidst a period of heightened security operations in Manipur, which has been under President's Rule since earlier this year following protracted ethnic violence. While the police did not immediately disclose the source of the high-grade foreign weapons, their seizure raises concerns about the potential for cross-border arms smuggling networks.
Arambai Tenggol, a radical Meitei organization that emerged as a cultural group in 2020, has been at the center of the state's ethnic conflict that erupted in May 2023. The group has been accused by various security and civil society organizations of being heavily involved in the violence. It has also gained prominence for its self-proclaimed role in "safeguarding the Meitei community" and its alleged involvement in looting arms from state armouries.
The latest arrests are part of an ongoing crackdown by state and central security forces to recover illegal weapons and dismantle criminal networks that have flourished during the period of unrest.
