The Arambai Tenggol, a Meitei militia group in Manipur, on Sunday thanked Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla for their “unwavering commitment” and “prompt actions” to restore normalcy to the violence-hit state.

In a statement, the group said that a peaceful and developed Manipur could be achieved through collaborative efforts.

It expressed its “heartfelt applause” to Shah for “fostering peace and stability” in Manipur, adding that his leadership was “pivotal during these challenging times”.

It also thanked Bhalla for his “prompt actions and assurances” during a recent meeting with the militia group that “instilled a renewed sense of hope among the citizens”.

Arambai Tenggol is alleged to have orchestrated violence against the tribal Kuki-Zo community since the beginning of the ethnic violence in Manipur in May 2023. The conflict has left at least 258 dead and displaced more than 59,000.

The National Investigation Agency is investigating the group and its chief Korounganba Khuman in several cases, including the looting of arms and ammunition from a Manipur Rifles complex.

The group’s statement was issued a day after Shah directed officials to ensure free movement on all roads in Manipur from March 8 and warned of strict action against any attempts to obstruct them.

The Bharatiya Janata Party leader’s directive came during a high-level review meeting in New Delhi on Saturday to assess the security situation in the North East state.

This was the first such review meeting since President’s Rule was imposed in Manipur on February 13 following the resignation of Chief Minister N Biren Singh.

“To make Manipur drug-free, the entire network involved in drug trade should be dismantled,” the Ministry of Home Affairs said. Shah also instructed officials to expedite fencing along Manipur’s border with Myanmar to enhance security.

In its statement on Sunday, the Arambai Tenggol noted the “swift progress in completing the fencing work” along the border with Myanmar, which was “crucial in safeguarding our territory and enhancing security”.

The militia group also said that it “wholeheartedly” supported the governor’s strong stance against drug trafficking and his vision to make Manipur a drug-free state.

“The Arambai Tenggol is fully committed to supporting all initiatives that promote normalcy in Manipur,” the statement said. “We believe that through collaborative efforts, we can work towards a peaceful and developed Manipur that reflects the aspirations of all its residents.”

On Thursday, the militia group surrendered 246 weapons before security forces in Imphal.

This came on what was supposed to be the last day of the deadline set by Bhalla for surrendering arms looted from the state’s armouries during the ethnic conflict. The governor has since extended the deadline for civilians to surrender illegal and looted arms until 4 pm on March 6.

Another 61 weapons were surrendered at several locations across the state, taking the tally of such weapons to 307.

Since the conflict in Manipur began, about 6,000 weapons have been looted from state armouries. About 1,200 of them had been recovered in security operations, according to an update provided by Security Advisor Kuldiep Singh in September.

This was the largest set of illegally-held weapons surrendered in Manipur since the conflict began.

On February 20, Bhalla had urged people from all communities to surrender looted weapons at security establishments within a week and assured them that no punitive action would be taken. He had warned of strict action for possessing such arms after the deadline.

On February 25, the Arambai Tenggol met the governor and submitted conditions to surrender looted weapons.

The conditions included the construction of a fence along India’s border with Myanmar, implementation of the National Register of Citizens in the state with 1951 as the base year, deportation of “all illegal immigrants to their native places” and “reinstatement” of Scheduled Tribe status for the Meitei community.

The Manipur High Court’s March 2023 order, which was made public a month later, had directed the state government to consider the inclusion of the Meiteis in the list of Scheduled Tribes.

The order had played a key role in triggering the ethnic conflict.

In February 2024, the High Court ordered the paragraph carrying the directions to be removed.

Also read: Does Arambai Tenggol’s decision to surrender arms reflect a changed reality in Manipur?