Imphal: Protests broke out across the Manipur valley on Friday following the arrest of 26 members of the Arambai Tenggol, a Meitei militia group, by the Assam Rifles in Kakching district, located 45 km from the state capital, Imphal.
According to officials, personnel from the 46th Assam Rifles, stationed at the Khebaching Army camp, apprehended the 26 Arambai Tenggol members from the Kakching unit around 5:30 a.m. on Friday. Notably, the Assam Rifles released 10 of the detainees in the morning, as they were scheduled to take their Class X exams, conducted by the Board of Secondary Education Manipur.
Soon after the arrests, large groups of women, particularly from Kakching and Thoubal, Imphal, took to the streets in protest. They argued that the arrested Arambai Tenggol members were protecting their communities. With the state government failing to provide adequate security, these individuals had taken it upon themselves to shield their families from Kuki militants.
All the shops in Kakching district also shut the doors in protest against the arrest.
As the protests intensified, the Assam Rifles decided to release all 26 detainees.
The incident occurred just a day after the state governor called on the youth of Manipur to surrender any illegal arms within seven days, warning that failure to do so would result in strict action.
