‘No SoO agreement in state now’: Manipur home minister on Kuki pact lapse, 17 to be arrested over killings

Manipur Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam on October 23 said 17 people detained during a security operation at a designated camp in Kangpokpi district would be formally arrested for further investigation into the killing of three Meitei youths.

Konthoujam said security operations were continuing to identify and apprehend those responsible for the killings at Sunurok hills, where three Meitei youths were shot dead by unidentified armed assailants on Monday.

The minister said 18 people were found at the Sinai relief camp during a joint operation involving the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA), the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Manipur Police. Of them, only one was identified as a cadre of the Kuki National Front (KNF), while the identities and organisational affiliations of the remaining 17 were yet to be established.

“The 17 detained persons will be formally arrested today for further investigation and to establish which organisations they belong to,” Konthoujam told reporters on the sidelines of a programme.

The operation followed the killing of the three youths, prompting security forces to intensify efforts to track down those involved. Police had earlier apprehended three suspects, two of whom allegedly admitted to their involvement in the attack, according to officials.

Konthoujam said the three suspects were being interrogated and that one was suspected to be a cadre of the KNF (N). He added that further details would emerge as the investigation progressed.

“The operation will continue in connection with the recent killing of the three youths. The government will not turn back from its operation. We cannot disclose much at this stage,” he said.

The minister also confirmed that the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with Kuki militant groups expired on September 4 and had not been extended. He suggested that public opposition to the continuation of the arrangement could have contributed to the decision.

“There is no SoO agreement in the state now,” he said.

Konthoujam said the absence of a substantial number of cadres from designated camps had raised concerns over compliance with the ground rules of the agreement. However, with the pact having expired without an extension, the question of violations could not be addressed in the same manner, he added.

He warned that any fresh recruitment by groups previously covered under the SoO arrangement during the period without an extension would be treated as illegal and dealt with under the law.

Security agencies are also working to trace cadres reported missing from designated camps. Konthoujam said operations would not be restricted to Kuki militant groups but would also cover camps associated with Meitei and Naga outfits.

Acknowledging the challenges of conducting operations in Manipur's hill districts, the minister said difficult terrain and the use of communication technology often allowed suspected militants to leave an area before security personnel could reach it.

He reiterated that the government would take impartial action to restore law and order, irrespective of community affiliation.

“All communities are residents of the state, and the government is trying to restore normalcy through peaceful means,” he said.

The SoO arrangement is a tripartite agreement involving the Centre, the Manipur government and Kuki and Zomi militant groups. The state has at least 14 designated camps under the arrangement.