Manipur Police-UKLF Conflict: Understanding Ceasefire Violations and SoO Agreement Challenges

A Manipur Police team encountered protesters in Chandel district on October 1 during an operation

Imphal/Guwahati/New Delhi:

The Manipur Police's operation to apprehend an individual they described as a "suspected drug kingpin" has raised critical questions about law enforcement protocols in the border state still recovering from ethnic conflict.

According to the United Kuki Liberation Front (UKLF), the individual was not a drug trafficker but an "officer" within their organization. The UKLF, which operates under the United Peoples Front (UPF), is a signatory to the tripartite suspension of operations (SoO) agreement with both the central and state governments.

In their statement, the UKLF characterized the police action as "a total violation of SoO ground rules."

The SoO agreement is overseen by a joint monitoring group (JMG) responsible for monitoring compliance, addressing violations, and conducting annual reviews.

Regarding the recent incident, police sources indicated they pursued the suspect as part of standard investigative procedure. Officials declined to comment on whether they should have consulted the JMG or followed different protocols due to the SoO agreement, though one senior officer emphasized the clarity of legal requirements regarding police duties.

The incident unfolded on the evening of October 1 when police forces attempted to arrest the suspect in a village within Chandel district's Sajik Tampak area.

The suspect evaded capture, and as the police team attempted to withdraw, they faced resistance from local residents. The confrontation led to stone-throwing and damage to police vehicles, with footage of the incident circulating widely on social media platforms.

Since the eruption of Meitei-Kuki ethnic violence in May 2023, the Manipur Police have faced accusations of partiality.

On October 3, the Manipur Police released a statement via social media: "On 01.10.2025 acting on credible intelligence, Chandel district police conducted an operation in T Kotlen village in Sajik Tampak area, Chandel district to apprehend a suspected drug kingpin. However, the person managed to escape capture."

They continued, "While returning, the police team was attacked by a mob protesting their presence in the area. With support from the Assam Rifles and CAPF, the situation was peacefully resolved through dialogue with local leaders, allowing the team to safely return back. The Manipur Police reiterate their unwavering commitment to combating the drug menace, and will continue in future too."

In response, the UKLF issued a statement on October 2 characterizing the police operation against their "officer" as an "arrogant act" by the Chandel superintendent of police and his team.

"Conducting a raid against the officers and cadres of the organisation who signed the tripartite suspension of operation agreement is indeed a total violation of SoO ground rules," stated UKLF spokesperson T James.

The UKLF affirmed their strict adherence to the SoO agreement terms and expressed that they "will not remain a mute spectator" if the police officer "continues to act arrogantly."

The organization called for appropriate action against the IPS officer to prevent similar incidents.

This controversy, emerging shortly after the September 4 renewal of the SoO agreement, highlights uncertainties regarding proper procedure when law enforcement must investigate or arrest suspects affiliated with groups under ceasefire agreements.

Sources indicate a need for clearer guidelines that balance police authority with the formalized conflict resolution mechanisms established under the SoO agreement.

The SoO agreement stipulates that insurgents must remain in designated camps with their weapons secured in monitored storage facilities. While they receive monthly rehabilitation stipends, there have been allegations of delayed payments by the state government.

A significant difference between previous ceasefire agreements and the recently renewed one is the increased scrutiny from civil society groups and the public, particularly from the Meitei community. Social media enables constant monitoring for potential ground rule violations by any party.

Both the Meitei community and sections of the Thadou tribe represented by the Thadou Inpi Manipur have alleged misuse of the SoO agreement by the 24 Kuki, Zomi, and Hmar armed groups. Meanwhile, the UNLF (P) remains the only Meitei insurgent group to have entered into a ceasefire with the central and state governments.

Other Meitei armed groups and their factions are designated as terrorist organizations under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Banned Meitei groups like the PLA, KYKL, and KCP, which had become nearly non-existent in Manipur for a decade, have reportedly returned from Myanmar since May 2023 as the junta's control diminished in areas where these groups operated.

The PLA has been identified as the terrorist organization behind the September 19 ambush of Assam Rifles personnel in Manipur's Nambol, which left two soldiers dead and five wounded, according to police reports.

Police data reveals numerous arrests of PLA, KCP (PWG), KYKL, and other Meitei insurgents in valley regions daily. The Kangleipak Communist Party (People's War Group) is reportedly involved in the highest number of extortion and related cases.

The other umbrella organization of insurgent groups under the SoO agreement is the Kuki National Organisation (KNO), which includes 16 groups. Together with the eight UPF groups, there are 24 total insurgent groups covered by the agreement.

These groups maintain that their demand for separate administrative arrangements under the Constitution is legitimate.

"They [KNO member groups] are armed primarily not against Indian security forces or the government, but to protect themselves from the local environment which has been there for so many years. We do not engage in any kind of skirmish with Indian security forces at all," Haokip told NDTV in February.

Under the renewed agreement, the KNO and UPF have committed to relocating seven designated camps away from conflict-prone areas, reducing the number of designated camps, and transferring weapons to the nearest CRPF and BSF camps.

The Ministry of Home Affairs announced on September 4 that security forces will conduct rigorous verification of insurgents to identify and remove any foreign nationals, with the JMG closely monitoring ground rules enforcement.

The MHA emphasized that future violations of ground rules will be addressed firmly, potentially leading to a review of the SoO agreement.