Meitei Leepun Chief Booked for Gunfiring in Public, His Unlawful Activities Stand Exposed

The Porompat Police has reportedly registered a case against the radicalised Meitei Leepun Chief Pramot Singh under FIR no. 1408(12)2023 under section 506/427/34 IPC and 25(1-B) Arms Act. He was charged against opening gunfiring in public over alleged land dispute with non-Manipuri (mainland Indian) on Sunday.

The video of the incident went viral on social media platforms wherein the private militia group leader Pramot Singh was reportedly threatening a group of non-Manipuris over alleged encroachment into the land of a Manipuri temple in Imphal. 

The video was a CCTV footage showing Pramot Singh and a group of people standing and talking. During the course of the video, Pramot Singh can be seen brandishing a gun and even firing it.

Sharing the video on social media platform X, HS Benjamin Mate said, “The radical Meitei Leepun leader Mr Pramot Singh & Meitei armed militia Arambai Tenggol firing their guns at mainland Indians living in Imphal, Telipati, in the presence of Manipur Police was captured by CCTV cameras. Nobody seems to be safe in Biren Singh’s Imphal.”

Pramot Singh has been a controversial figure amidst the violence which engulfed the state since May this year. Earlier in November, Singh was shot at by unidentified gunmen, but escaped unhurt. Prior to that in October, Pramot Singh was issued a non-bailable warrant by the Judicial Magistrate of Churchandpur district for allegedly making communal remarks during an interview with The Wire. However, he was never arrested.

Several snippets of video footage from a CCTV camera captured the daring daylight antics of Meitei Leepun Chief Pramot Singh and his cohorts, all dressed up in battle-gear openly carrying weapons. A clip of CCTV video footage shows the Meitei Leepun Chief brandishing a pistol and aiming at a particular area. The incident took place at Telipati in Imphal east District which is an area mostly settled by mainland Indians – businessmen, manual workers etc. Another clip shows him picking up a stick and handing it over to one of his goons – one among several in the area – who then uses the stick to beat a man who is clearly identified as being from mainland India. This follows what appears to be an altercation between the Meitei Leepun Chief and the mainland Indian man. The Meitei Leepun goon is seen hitting the man with the stick. The man appears helpless and seems to be pleading. However, he continues to be hit with the stick by the Meitei Leepun goon.

The arrival of police did not seem to diffuse the situation. Instead, the police who arrived in a gypsy were seen simply standing around and watching the incident unfold until they eventually left. No action was taken upon the Meitei Leepun Chief and his goons who were openly carrying arms and threatening and beating civilians.

Radical Pramot Singh and his outfit had been deeply involved in various atrocities against the Kukis. He is one of the key players of the violence that unfolded in the State between the majority Meitei and minority Kuki communities. A day before the violent broke out on May 3, the Meitei Leepun militia group had carried out counter-blockade to all the highways connecting Kuki dominated districts, and openly speaking to the media to annihilate the Kuki populace.