Summary
- Violent protests erupted across Manipur valley districts following the arrest of an Arambai Tenggol leader, prompting curfews and a five-day internet shutdown.
- Protesters clashed with police, torched vehicles, and blocked roads—including at the Imphal airport—demanding the leader’s release.
- The unrest underscores unresolved tensions from the ongoing ethnic conflict between Meitei and Kuki-Zo groups that has left over 260 dead since May 2023.
It's happening again in #Manipur . Internet suspended in five districts Violent protests break after arrest of #ArambaiTenggol wanted by @NIA_India. AT cadres on rampage attack. @manipur_police#manipurburning #ManipurUnrest #manipurcrisis #Arambai #Violence pic.twitter.com/kzwtHopbaX
— Sumedha Sharma (@sumedhasharma86) June 8, 2025
Arrest Ignites Valley: The Leader, the Clashes, the Outrage
- The arrest of a senior figure from the Meitei group Arambai Tenggol triggered overnight violence in Imphal.
- Protesters set a bus on fire, clashed with police near Khurai Lamlong, and surrounded Tulihal airport amid rumors the leader would be flown out.
- Gunshots were reported in Kwakeithel; one person reportedly died during a lathi charge.
The arrest of a key Arambai Tenggol leader—widely believed to be Kanan Singh though unnamed officially—set off a powder keg in Manipur’s already fragile valley districts. As night fell on Saturday, roads in Imphal became protest zones. Furniture and tyres were set ablaze. An enraged crowd gathered outside the Imphal airport, some sleeping on the road to block any movement of the arrested individual.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) confirmed the arrest of another Arambai Tenggol member at Imphal airport, citing his role in the 2023 ethnic violence. He was flown to Guwahati, where trials related to the violence are ongoing.
Tear gas clouds enveloped the city’s arterial routes as police battled to disperse crowds. Protesters’ chants turned into street standoffs, with tensions so high that some demonstrators attempted self-immolation. A fatality has been reported, allegedly caused by police baton charges.
State on Lockdown: Curfews, Blackouts, and Military Oversight
- Curfew imposed in Bishnupur district; restrictions on gatherings in five valley districts.
- Internet services suspended for five days across Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal, Kakching, and Bishnupur.
- Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla held emergency meetings with MLAs and security officials.
As Sunday dawned, the Manipur government imposed a blanket curfew in Bishnupur and Section 144 across five key districts. Internet services were blacked out to prevent the mobilisation of further unrest via social media, a tactic seen repeatedly since the onset of the Meitei–Kuki conflict.
Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla convened a crisis meeting at Raj Bhavan with a team of MLAs. Officials later stated that “all necessary steps were being taken to restore normalcy,” though many in the valley remain sceptical after months of broken promises and flashpoint incidents.
A video that went viral showed BJP MP Leishemba Sanajaoba confronting police on the streets, saying, “We tried very hard to bring peace. If you do such things, how will peace prevail? Arrest me along with the MLA I’m here with.” The optics have further escalated political sensitivity around the incident.
Total Shutdown Looms: Arambai Tenggol Strikes Back
- Arambai Tenggol declared a 10-day total shutdown across the valley districts starting June 9.
- The group, once a cultural organisation, has evolved into a militia-like entity amid Manipur’s ethnic strife.
- Continued arrests and search operations raise fears of further escalation.
What began as a cultural revival group has become a paramilitary-style force, shaping much of the valley’s power play. Arambai Tenggol’s declaration of a 10-day shutdown signals a fresh round of mobilisation, likely to paralyse life in the Imphal region.
Even as the group recently surrendered a cache of arms and held talks with the Governor, the current crackdown is being seen as a betrayal of that fragile trust. The CBI and local police continue to arrest suspected militants from both Meitei and Kuki sides. Over the weekend, three militants were arrested from Tengnoupal and several IEDs recovered.
The Valley’s political leadership is increasingly divided on how to manage Arambai Tenggol, with many fearing that a blanket crackdown could worsen the already inflamed Meitei-Kuki relations. More than 260 people have lost their lives since the ethnic violence began in May 2023, and thousands remain in relief camps.
Steel, Smoke, and Stalemate: Can Manipur Heal from Within?
The current unrest is not a flare-up in isolation—it is the latest episode in a long, unresolved ethnic civil conflict. The arrest of an Arambai Tenggol leader was not just a legal move; it was a political and cultural flashpoint. The state’s response—curfews, internet shutdowns, and aerial transfers of detainees—signals more of the same reactionary governance that has failed to produce peace over the last two years.
The deeper issue remains: a lack of reconciliation between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities, systemic mistrust of state institutions, and the rise of non-state actors who are filling the vacuum of governance. Whether it is the streets of Imphal, the jungles of Tengnoupal, or the corridors of the Raj Bhavan, peace in Manipur can no longer be outsourced to security forces alone. It needs dialogue, not just deployment.
