IMPHAL/UKHRUL: Manipur home minister Govindas Konthoujam on Friday said the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with Kuki militant groups expired in the first week of September and had not been extended, citing public opposition to the continuation of the pact as a possible reason.
He said both the state and central governments were concerned about public sentiment against extending the agreement. Govindas added that security operations would continue in all suspected areas, irrespective of whether those areas were associated with Kuki, Meitei or Naga groups, to maintain law and order.
The minister’s remarks came after three Meitei civilians were killed at Sunulok Ching in an incident allegedly involving Kuki militants. He said three people had been arrested in connection with the killings and were suspected to belong to the Kuki National Front (KNF), although their faction had not been confirmed. The investigation is ongoing, he added.
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Following the incident, joint security forces, including the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and CoBRA personnel, conducted an operation at the Sinai designated camp as part of the investigation into the suspected involvement of individuals associated with the camp.
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Govindas said security personnel found 18 people at the camp. Of them, only one was identified as a KNF cadre under the SoO arrangement, while the remaining 17 were not identified as SoO cadres. He said the 17 individuals had been detained and were to be formally arrested on Friday.
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The minister said the expected number of SoO cadres was not present at the designated camp. However, he clarified that since the agreement had expired in the first week of September and had not been extended, the situation could not be treated as a violation of an active agreement.
He reiterated that security operations would continue in all suspected areas, stressing that no group or camp would be exempt from action under the law.
