CRPF’s CoBRA unit, backed by Manipur Police commandos, stormed the Sinai Camp on Oct. 23, 2026, detaining 17 men who had been masquerading as registered Kuki insurgents. The raid yielded 24 firearms, 38 magazines, explosives, and wireless communication gear, all of which were seized and logged.
The camp had been a designated holding site under the State of Operations (SoO) agreement signed in 2023, which mandated that insurgents stay in lock‑down facilities and hand over their arms to a joint monitoring group that included the army. The agreement expired on Sept. 4, and this operation raises questions about the camp’s ongoing compliance.
Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam said the SoO had lapsed on Sept. 4 and that this incident would trigger a review of the camp’s status. MLA Thokchom Lokeshwar Singh called for the camp’s immediate removal, citing the Oct. 19 killings of three Meitei civilians.
Police have filed charges under the Arms Act, Explosive Substances Act, and Wireless Telegraphy Act, and will investigate whether other insurgents were complicit. The camp may be shut down pending a forensic review, and the next hearing is scheduled for Nov. 5.