Manipur Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam on Friday said the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with Kuki militant groups had not been extended after expiring in the first week of September, amid intensified security operations following the killing of three Meitei civilians earlier this week.
Konthoujam said public opposition to continuing the arrangement was among the factors being considered by the state and central governments. He maintained that security operations would continue in suspected militant areas, irrespective of the communities or organisations involved.
His remarks came after three Meitei men were killed in an attack by suspected militants in the Sunurok hills of Kangpokpi district on October 19, triggering widespread protests and renewed demands for action against armed groups.
The minister said three suspects had been arrested in connection with the killings, while security forces were continuing their search for others involved in the attack. 
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๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ต ๐บ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐บ๐ฝ
A joint team comprising personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), its specialised CoBRA unit and Manipur Police conducted a search operation at the Sinai designated camp in Kangpokpi district as part of the investigation.
According to Konthoujam, 18 people were found at the camp, which had been designated for militant groups covered by the SoO arrangement.
Of them, only one was identified as a cadre of the Kuki National Front (KNF) covered by the agreement. The remaining 17 were not identified as registered SoO cadres, the minister said.
He added that the 17 individuals had been detained and were expected to be formally arrested on Friday.
The minister said the three people already arrested in connection with the civilian killings were being interrogated. Their suspected links to the KNF were also under investigation, although their precise organisational affiliation had not been conclusively established.
๐ฆ๐ผ๐ข ๐ฎ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ฐ๐ฟ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐
The Suspension of Operations arrangement is a tripartite agreement involving the Centre, the Manipur government and several Kuki-Zomi militant organisations.
Originally signed in 2008, the agreement was intended to suspend hostilities while facilitating political dialogue between the government and armed groups.
Under its framework, participating militants were required to remain in designated camps and comply with prescribed restrictions on their activities and weapons.
Manipur has approximately 14 designated camps associated with the arrangement.
Konthoujam said the agreement's expiry meant the current security operations could not be characterised as violations of an active SoO pact.
He stressed that searches would continue in all suspected areas, including camps associated with Kuki, Meitei and Naga militant groups, and that no organisation would be exempt from law enforcement action.
๐๐ถ๐น๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ด๐ด๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐
The three victims were among 16 Meitei residents collecting firewood near Khongban Sunurok village on Monday morning when armed assailants opened fire. Three others were injured.
Police identified the deceased as Lairenlakpam Inaobi, 57, Arubam Ronin, 35, and Keshtrimayum Sushil, 32. Security forces subsequently apprehended three suspects, two of whom allegedly admitted involvement in the attack, according to police.
The killings sparked demonstrations across the Imphal Valley, where protesters demanded stronger action against armed groups. A shutdown disrupted markets, public transport and educational institutions, while clashes between demonstrators and police were reported in Imphal.
Konthoujam said the government would continue its operations against those responsible and warned that fresh recruitment by groups previously covered under the SoO arrangement would be treated as illegal.
๐๐๐ต๐ป๐ถ๐ฐ ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐๐
Manipur has witnessed prolonged ethnic violence since clashes erupted between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities in May 2023, resulting in hundreds of deaths and widespread displacement.
The violence has severely disrupted relations between communities, with many residents unable to return to their homes.
Recent incidents, including attacks involving Kuki and Naga groups, have added to the state's security challenges.
The Home Minister said the government was committed to restoring normalcy and would continue operations against suspected militants without discrimination.
The latest developments have renewed scrutiny of the SoO framework and its implementation, particularly following the killing of the three civilians and the subsequent searches