The provocative clip, emerging shortly after the arrest of several Arambai Tenggol cadres, highlights the escalating rift between Meitei militias and state security forces in a conflict-ridden Manipur
BY PC Bureau
A chilling video purportedly showing a masked Meitei militant issuing threats to Manipur Police commandos has gone viral on social media, escalating tensions in the violence-hit state just days after a crackdown on the radical Meitei group Arambai Tenggol. PowerCorridors.in cannot verify the authenticity of the clip.
The video, which surfaced late Friday noon and has since amassed thousands of views, appears to be a retaliatory response to the arrest of several Arambai Tenggol cadres earlier in the day, spotlighting the deepening rift between Meitei militias and state security forces.
In the 59-second clip, a man clad in a black jacket and headgear stands defiantly against a backdrop of dense foliage, his face obscured by a scarf. “Do you really desire a war among our own Meitei people? The fact that you Meitei police commandos are spearheading the arrest of Meitei volunteers means you are essentially provoking a conflict among us,” he is heard saying in a hard-edged Meitei tone.
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<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>MeiteiTerrorists issues a dire threat to <a href=”https://twitter.com/manipur_police?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@manipur_police</a>,retaliating against the arrests of Arambai Tenggols. In a revealing slip-up,the threat exposes the truth,that it was AT who ventured deep inside buffer zones,carrying out attacks behind Enemy lies,achieving what MP couldn't <a href=”https://t.co/nfKGpvNalc”>pic.twitter.com/nfKGpvNalc</a></p>— J Shakur (@JShakurB) <a href=”https://twitter.com/JShakurB/status/1892856084819304769?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>February 21, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>
MeiteiTerrorists issues a dire threat to @manipur_police,retaliating against the arrests of Arambai Tenggols. In a revealing slip-up,the threat exposes the truth,that it was AT who ventured deep inside buffer zones,carrying out attacks behind Enemy lies,achieving what MP couldn’t pic.twitter.com/nfKGpvNalc
— J Shakur (@JShakurB) February 21, 2025
He goes on: “This is a warning to the police commandos: do you think you’ll be able to return home safely? Do you really feel secure after your return from duty?”
Hurling abuse at the police for leading security forces to the hideout of the Arambai Tenggol, the masked militant adds, “The mayang machas (a derogatory slur for mainland Indians) are not aware of the realities of this land. It’s you who have guided them to the hideouts of our Arambai Tenggol, facilitating these arrests.”
The masked militant reminds the police that while Arambai Tenggol cadres have ventured beyond enemy lines and achieved what the police could not, the police remain idle—merely waiting for a paycheck.
The timing coincides with the arrest of 28 Arambai Tenggol members on February 21 morning. A juvenile was also detained during the operation, intensifying outrage among Meitei supporters who view the group as “defenders” against Kuki aggression.
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The video’s circulation has reignited debate over Arambai Tenggol’s role in Manipur’s 20-month ethnic conflict, which pits the Meitei majority against the Kuki-Zo minority and has left over 250 dead and 60,000 displaced. Kuki groups have long accused Arambai Tenggol of orchestrating attacks with tacit police support—a charge the Meiteis deny, asserting that the militia fills a security void.
Meanwhile, the police have faced their own clashes with the group, notably after the February 27, 2024, abduction of Additional SP Moirangthem Amit Singh by Arambai Tenggol cadres, an incident that sparked an “arms down” protest by commandos demanding a crackdown.
X users quickly amplified the video, with @JShakurB posting at 14:07 IST today:
“Meitei terrorists issue a dire threat to @manipur_police, retaliating against the arrests of Arambai Tenggols. In a revealing slip-up, the threat exposes the truth: it was AT who ventured deep inside buffer zones, carrying out attacks behind enemy lines, achieving what MP couldn’t.”
As Manipur reels under President’s Rule, imposed on February 13, and with Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla’s appeal on February 20 for arms surrender by February 27, the viral video underscores the fragile balance between state authority and militia power.
