Imphal: A local court remanded eight cadres of the Kuki Liberation Army (KLA) to police custody until September 14, following their arrest by a combined security team in Gampum village in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district on September 7.
The cadres, apprehended with a cache of arms and ammunition, were produced before the Judicial Magistrate, Imphal East, under tight security. Due to prevailing tensions in Saikul and Kangpokpi, authorities initially detained them at a Central forces camp.
Sources indicate the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is likely to seek formal custody of the cadres in connection with ongoing Manipur violence cases.
Meanwhile, the apex Kuki body, Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), strongly condemned the detentions and the seizure of seven registered automatic firearms.
In an official statement, KIM claimed the cadres belong to a recognized Suspension of Operations (SoO) signatory and termed the weapon seizure a serious breach of established protocols.
The organization warned that unilateral actions against SoO signatories could severely undermine trust between security forces and these groups.
Demanding the immediate release of the detainees and the return of the firearms, KIM insisted the investigation remain strictly under Kangpokpi district jurisdiction.
The group also raised concerns over alleged excessive force used against civilians during the operation, citing reports of injuries from crowd-control munitions and live ammunition.
KIM has urged the Union Government to intervene, ensure accountability, and protect the existing peace framework.