Arrested Arambai Tenggol leader ex-head constable, terminated from service in March: Manipur Police

A bus burned by protesters is parked in a street, after the arrest of an Arambai Tenggol leader by the Central Bureau of Investigation in Imphal, Manipur on June 8, 2025.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Manipur Police on Monday (June 9, 2025) said Ashem Kanan Singh, arrested by the CBI a day before, was a former head constable in the State police and was terminated from service in March due to involvement in criminal activities.

The CBI arrested Mr. Singh, a member of Meitei outfit Arambai Tenggol (AT), on Sunday (June 8, 2025) for his alleged involvement in various criminal activities related to the 2023 Manipur violence, officials said.

In a post on X, police said, “Ashem Kanan Singh (46) was arrested by CBI in Imphal. He was a Head Constable in Manipur Police till he was terminated from service on 3rd March 2025 for his involvement in various criminal activities, including cross-border smuggling of arms..

“He was arrested for his criminal activities which include several acts of grave nature and involvement in unlawful activities and criminal cases registered against him,” police said, adding, “following his arrest, protests erupted from the evening of June 7 in the valley areas of the State with Manipur Police and security forces bringing the situation under control.”

Earlier, NIA arrested three insurgents in a case related to a deadly attack on security forces that had killed two police commandos and injured several others in Moreh, Tengnoupal district, on January 17, 2024.

“One Thangminlen Mate, a member of Kuki Inpi Tengnoupal [KIT] insurgent outfit, was arrested on May 19, 2025, in Assam’s Silchar. Two other accused, part of the team which executed the deadly attack, namely Kamginthang Gangte, a member of the Kuki National Army [KNA], and Hentinthang Kipgen @ Thangneo Kipgen, associated with the Village Volunteers group in Churachandpur district, were arrested by the NIA on June 6 from Manipur,” police said.

Following the arrests, protests and rallies were held, and a shutdown was imposed by some civil society organisations in Tengnoupal and Moreh and Tengnoupal districts on June 6 and 7.

In its appeal, police urged the public not to support such protests in connection with the arrests of people involved in unlawful and criminal activities.