Kuki Militant Outfit Warns Manipur Police After Raid in Chandel District

PTI, IMPHAL, OCT 3, 2025 : A Kuki militant outfit has warned the Manipur Police that it will not remain a "mute spectator" after the force allegedly conducted a raid to arrest one of its leaders in Chandel district recently.

The United Kuki Liberation Front (UKLF), a group under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement, condemned the late-night raid allegedly carried out by Chandel SP Dharmendra Kumar at the residence of one of its leaders in the Sajik Tampak area on Wednesday.

In a statement, the UKLF said that the actions of the Chandel SP were serious, and the group would not remain passive if such actions continued. The outfit claimed that after signing the SoO agreement, it had been abiding by the ground rules and working to achieve a "political solution" for the Kuki-Zo people.

Meanwhile, police claimed the operation was conducted to apprehend a suspected drug kingpin. "On Wednesday, acting on credible intelligence, Chandel District Police conducted an operation in T-Kotlen village in the Sajik Tampak area to apprehend a suspected drug kingpin. However, the person managed to escape," police said. The police further claimed that while returning, their team was attacked by a mob. The situation was peacefully resolved through dialogue with local leaders, with support from the Assam Rifles and CAPF, allowing the team to return safely.

In other developments, security forces arrested four militants, including a self-styled chief of a banned Kuki outfit in Manipur, police said on Friday.

Security forces arrested Paokholen Guite, the self-styled 'commander-in-chief' of the Chin Kuki Mizo Army (CKMA) from S Munuam in Churachandpur district on Wednesday. Guite was involved in trafficking weapons and drugs across the India-Myanmar border, as well as extortion activities. Two AK-47 rifles, 181 rounds of ammunition of different types, Rs 1,00,000 in cash, and a car were recovered from his possession.

In addition, security forces arrested two cadres of the banned People's Liberation Army from different locations in Imphal West district on Thursday. They were reportedly involved in extorting money from brickfield owners and the public in the valley area. Police also arrested another member of the outfit from his residence at Yairipok in Thoubal district on Wednesday. This individual was allegedly involved in extortion and the collection of money from quarry workers.