Imphal: Manipur Police and central security forces arrested a senior leader of the proscribed Zeliangrong United Front (J) — ZUF-J from Imphal West district on Tuesday, police said in a statement issued on Wednesday.
The arrested individual, identified as Namgaklung Kamei, also known by the alias November (42), is a self-styled Deputy Chief of Army of the ZUF(J), a splinter faction of the ZUF, an underground militant outfit linked to the Zeliangrong Naga community. Kamei is a resident of Chingkhonglong Village in Tamenglong district.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
The arrest was made near Kekrupat, under the jurisdiction of Imphal Police Station in Imphal West. Security personnel recovered a 9mm pistol, a magazine loaded with 10 rounds of live ammunition, and a mobile phone from his possession.
Following the arrest, Kamei was taken to Imphal West District Police Station for further legal proceedings. He has been booked under relevant sections of the Arms Act, 1959 and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act, 2023.
The ZUF-J is mainly active in the northwestern regions of Manipur, bordering Nagaland and Assam.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
While the original Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF) — formed on February 25, 2011 — is currently engaged in peace talks with the Government of India, the ZUF(J) is considered a new breakaway faction. The group seeks the creation of a “Common Homeland” for the Zeliangrong people, a demand rooted in historical grievances over colonial-era divisions.