Senior Cop ‘Abducted’ By Meitei Armed Group Rescued; Manipur Commandos Resort To ‘Arms Down’ Protest

Imphal: An Additional SP was swiftly rescued by police after being abducted from his residence in Manipur’s Imphal East district by members of the Meitei armed militant group Arambai Tenggol on Tuesday night.

The officer has been admitted to a hospital where his condition is stated to be stable, PTI reported.

According to reports, over 200 armed miscreants attacked the residence of the Additional SP Moirangthem Amit Singh in Imphal East district around 7 pm and vandalised the property. “We tried to talk to the armed men after they entered, but all of a sudden they started firing at the vehicles and properties. So we had to rush inside and lock ourselves,” his father M Kulla Singh told the news agency.

On being informed, the officer arrived at his home with police personnel following which gunfighting ensued between the two groups. “In the midst of the incident, the Addl SP and one of his escorts were abducted by the armed miscreants. They were later rescued from Kwakeithel Konjeng Leikai area and admitted to Raj Medicity for medical treatment. A case has been registered in this regard and investigation has started,” Manipur Police said in a post on X.

The state police also informed that Rabinash Moirangthem (24) and Kangujam Bhimsen (20) also sustained injuries in the exchange of fire and were admitted to JNIMS Hospital, Porompat.

The reports further said that the militant group targeted Singh following the arrest of six members of Arambai Tenggol for their alleged involvement in vehicle theft. The arrest also drew protest from the Meira Paibis, a women’s group in the Meitei community.

Following the abduction incident, the army was called in and four columns of the Assam Rifles were dispatched to Imphal East.

Meanwhile, a section of Manipur Police commandos has started an “arms down” protest following a restraining order. They were allegedly told not to respond with effective fire at the armed group, whose members had also kidnapped Singh and his security guard. “No commandos will perform duty from today,” a senior police official told Scroll.