Manipur police have arrested a member of the Arambai Tenggol, a radical Meitei group, in connection with a case related to the assault of two Naga men in Imphal West district on October 31.
The arrest comes in the backdrop of the ongoing protests launched by three influential Naga organisations — Naga People’s Organisation (NPO), Senapati District Students’ Association (SDSA) and the Senapati District Women Association (SDWA) — from Senapati district since Saturday, demanding justice for the victims.
The police took to itsofficial X handle to announce the arrest around Sundaymidnight.
“On 03.11.2024, Manipur Police arrested one AT member namely Khullem Sanjeep @ Bhim (30) s/o (L) Kh. Tomba of Naoremthong DC road for his involvement in the assault of two persons from Senapati in the early hours of 31.10.2024 at Lamsang area. Further, he has remanded into police custody.”
Before nabbing the Arambai Tenggol member, the police had on Friday also arrested a member of a militant group in the assault case. Lamsang is in Meitei-majority Imphal West district.
The Arambai Tenggol has denied its involvement in the assault.
The three organisations had called a 24-hour shutdown from 4pm on Saturday followed by the “indefinite commercial vehicular movement restriction beyond the Senapati district”, a protest which is continuing despite the two arrests.
Before launching their agitation, the three organisations had given the BJP-led state government 48 hours to act against those involved in the assault.
An SDSA office-bearer told The Telegraph on Monday evening that over 200 trucks were stranded at Mao Gate, the border of Senapati, and that the organisations wanted that the “accused be booked as per law, shifted to Senapati PS and they confess to their crime here”.
Before the announcement of the arrest of the Arambai Tenggol member on Sunday night, the three organisations had issued a joint statement on an NPO letterhead, thanking the people for the successful and peaceful conclusion of the 24-hour shutdown, organised in protest against the “persistent harassment and extortion by certain elements from the Meitei and Kuki communities since the onset of the ethnic clash in our state”.
The state’s Naga community and the Meitei Pangals (Muslims) have remained neutral in the conflict, which began on May 3 last yearbetween the Meiteis andKuki-Zos, leaving at least 237 dead and over 60,000 displaced. Senapati is a Naga majority-district.
The joint statement claimed that the two victims — V.H. Blesson and Dalou — were “targetted in an attempt to murder” and a sum of ₹61,400 extorted “at gunpoint” from them.
The victims were returning to Senapati from Thoubal district with livestock when they were intercepted and assaulted, sources said.
“The assaulted duo are still in hospital,” the SDSA office-bearer said.
The statement of the three organisations claimed that “despite the gravity of this incident there has been no attempt by the responsible civil society organisation representing the involved community to mediate or redress the issue. Furthermore, the victims are well aware of the parties involved. However, the culprits are attempting to feign innocence”.
The organisations said they would “continue toadvocate for our rightsand protection of our community” and were “moving forward” with the indefinite restriction on commercial vehicle movement.
