Imphal: FIRs have been registered against 17 individuals arrested during a joint security operation at the Mt. Sinai Suspension of Operations (SoO) camp in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district for allegedly impersonating cadres of the Kuki National Army (KNA) and the Kuki Liberation Army (KLA), an official source said.
The two armed groups are associated with the tripartite SoO arrangement involving the Government of India, the Manipur government and Kuki organisations since 2008. The SoO agreement with the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and the United People’s Front (UPF) expired on September 4, 2026, and has not been extended.
According to the official source, the 17 individuals were arrested during a four-day joint cordon-and-search operation (CASO) conducted by Manipur Police, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and its CoBRA unit at the Mt. Sinai SoO camp in Simol village under Saikul police station in Kangpokpi district.
The operation was conducted from October 20 to 23, 2026. Of the 18 individuals found at the camp, only one was reportedly among those listed as authorised to be stationed there. The identities of the remaining 17 were found to be doubtful, with eight suspected of impersonating KNA cadres and nine KLA cadres, the source said.
The source added that 150 listed cadres of the Kuki groups were supposed to be stationed at the designated camp, raising questions about the whereabouts of the remaining cadres amid the ongoing unrest in the state.
Security forces seized a cache of weapons, ammunition and other items during the operation. The recovered weapons included 13 AK rifles, one self-loading rifle (SLR), two Lathode guns, four Colt AR-15 rifles and four G3 rifles. The seizure also included four Pompi bombs, two tube-launching bombs and 12 rounds of Lathode gun ammunition, according to the source.
The forces also recovered 17 AK rifle magazines, eight Colt AR magazines, seven G3 rifle magazines and one SLR magazine.
The ammunition seized comprised 1,060 rounds for AK rifles, 2,360 rounds for INSAS rifles, 223 rounds for SLR rifles, 23 rounds for .303 rifles and 287 blank rounds.
Other items recovered included 78 identity cards marked as belonging to the Sinai camp, 66 identity cards of KNO/KNA cadres from the 3rd Battalion Kuki Army Sinai Camp, and a passport with a visa belonging to Helien Haokip of Moreh Phaicham Veng in Manipur.
Security forces continue to occupy the camp, the source said.
Meanwhile, the action taken by security forces against SoO cadres allegedly violating the agreement’s ground rules has drawn appreciation from members of the public, particularly residents of fringe areas who have lived in fear for a prolonged period.
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