Manipur CM reviews criminal cases post-May 2023 violence, clarifies stance on Village Volunteers and Arambai Tenggol

Guwahati: Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh said that the State Government is studying the different cases of unlawful and criminal activities involving individuals in the wake of May 2023 violence.

He said that the State Government has not declared Village Volunteers in both hills and valley or Arambai Tenggol as banned organisations and the police has not taken up any cases based on their affiliation to these groups

Taking part in a short duration discussion moved by opposition MLA K. Ranjit Singh in the Manipur assembly , the Chief Minister said that the unprecedented violence that broke out on May 3, 2023, compelled many youths to take up arms. While some of them had good intentions, there could be others who indulge in criminal activities.


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Singh further said that the State Government has not declared Village Volunteers in both hills and valley or Arambai Tenggol as banned organisations and the police has not taken up any cases based on their affiliation to these groups. He added that arrests made by the police are based on individual level criminal activities.

The Chief Minister said that Manipur Police was a very strong force in the past, but its morale has gone down following the unprecedented crisis that broke out on May 3, 2023. Now, the government is trying to strengthen the police force, he added.

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Singh, however, said that the state government could not withdraw criminal cases filed against any individuals during the crisis. The Chief Minister further added that the cases invoked to the individuals will be studied one by one and it will take time.

Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam re-affirm the decision taken by the Government in 2024, not to prosecute those individuals who are not involved in heinous crimes such as attack on security forces, extortion, murder, or any other criminal activities.

He further added that to save the youths who are not involved in the heinous crime is the responsibility of the government. The Home Minister said that individual cases will be studied by the government. He said that the police do not harass any individuals who are alleged to have been involved in the crisis. He rejected the Opposition’s allegation on harassment of youths. He also informed the house that the Chief Minister has already instructed the concerned authorities to release after questioning the individuals who were named in suo- moto cases by different investigating agencies including NIA as soon as possible.

In both Kuki, Meitei and Naga inhabited areas, there are voluntary village volunteers who profess to protect their community while guarding their respective areas. The nomenclature, however, differs.