Internal Security Monitor Vol 1, No 9

The past fortnight was rather eventless. Manipur Governor Ajay Bhalla appealed to armed groups to surrender weapons following the imposition of President’s Rule in the State necessitated by intense clashes between various groups over the past several months. The Chief Secretary of the State said one week was adequate to surrender arms. Following the Governor’s appeal a significant quantity of arms have been surrendered. Besides, 17 militants of different groups have been arrested surrendered in the State. Separately, eight more militants have been arrested.

In Mizoram a large quantity of arms was recovered by security forces.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a charge sheet against Tahawwur Rana accusing him of being a conspirator and for his involvement in the serial blasts that rocked Mumbai in 2005. A terrorist hideout was unearthed in Kashmir and some weapons have been recovered while no arrests have been made.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has highlighted emerging threats at sea and threats to vital installations while addressing officials of Indian Coast Guard.

For the first time in the country, a Chinese-made drone was recovered from Maoist controlled territory. This could give clues about Maoist launch pads and investigation would be conducted to ascertain their supply chain.

The NIA has conducted raids at the residence of Nagre Saddam, currently lodged in Beur central jail, Bihar, for circulating Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN).

NIA Charge Sheet on Mumbai Blasts Accused-Tahawwur Rana

The National Investigation Agency (NIA), as was reported in the media on February 17, 2025, said in its charge sheet that Tahawwur Hussain Rana, accused in the 26/11 Mumbai serial terror attacks, became part of the conspiracy in 2005 as an operative of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Harakat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI) and was closely engaged with Pakistan-based conspirators.^[1] He was arrested earlier by the United States-Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), on October 27, 2009.

He was charge sheeted earlier by the NIA in 2011 under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and Section 6 (2) of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Convention on Suppression of Terrorism. Rana had assisted Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley.

Large Quantity of Arms and Explosives Recovered in Mizoram

Media reports on February 16, 2025, said seizure of arms, ammunition, and explosives in Mizoram by the security forces continues unabated with 3,000 electric detonators, 700 metres cordtex, and war-like stores have been recovered in the State and two Myanmar nationals apprehended.^[2]

Two bike-borne Myanmar nationals were arrested and the contraband was recovered. The Myanmar’s nationals and the recovered items have been handed over to Mizoram Police for further legal action.

Manipur Governor Appeals for Surrender of Arms

Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, on February 21, 2025, urged people of all communities, particularly youth, to surrender illegal arms to restore peace in society.^[3] The development came a week after President's rule was imposed in strife-torn Manipur, days after Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned from his post. Urging all communities in the Valley and Hills to voluntarily come forward and surrender looted and illegally held weapons. The Governor added that returning these weapons would be a powerful gesture towards ensuring peace. He also assured that no punitive action would be initiated if such weapons were returned within the stipulated time. “Thereafter, strict action will be taken for possession of such weapons,” he warned.

One week sufficient to surrender arms: Manipur Chief Secretary

Manipur Chief Secretary PK Singh said, on February 23, 2025, the seven-day time given for voluntarily surrendering looted and illegally held weapons is enough if one wants to give up arms^[4], and asserted that the forces will take action after the expiry of the period to recover such guns, as appealed by Chief Minister N Biren Singh.

“The seven-day period is good enough. If one decides to give up arms, it can be done in a day. [Thereafter] we will go and take such weapons from them”, he told reporters in Imphal. He said the administration has been working on multiple fronts and there has to be peace and normalcy.

Arms Surrendered in Manipur following Governor’s Appeal

Media reports on February 23, 2025 said^[5], following the joint operations carried out by the Guwahati district police, Assam Rifles, and Central Reserve Police Forces (CRPF) in public awareness, arms were voluntarily surrendered Churachandpur and Imphal East districts, Manipur. Sixteen arms and ammunition were surrendered Churachandpur. Other items surrendered in Churachandpur included Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL), Carbine Machine guns, single barrel rifles, and rifle ammunition among others.

Seventeen Militants Arrested in Manipur

Seventeen militants of various groups have been arrested by the security forces (SF), on February 20, 2025, in Manipur.^[6] One active cadre of Kangleipak Communist Party City Meitei (KCP-City Meitei), identified as Khaidem Benarrjit Singh alias Amuba, from Ibudhou Khonghaba Thangjing Laikon, Bishnupur district, Manipur.^[7] On the same day, one active cadre of Kangleipak Communist Party-People’s War Group (KCP-PWG), identified as Mohammad Harish, was arrested from Pheidinga, Imphal West District. Fourteen cadres of various other groups were arrested on the same day.

Eight Militants Arrested in Manipur

Police have arrested two active members of the G5 Organization from Achanbigei Maning Leikai, under Heingang police station limits, Imphal East District, Manipur.^[8] The suspects, identified as Ningthoujam Yamba Singh and Usham Netaji Singh were involved in extorting money from trucks carrying sand. Authorities recovered one four-wheeler and three mobile handsets and some currency.

In a separate operation, security forces arrested six cadres of the KCP (Ibungo Ngangom), under Lamsang Police Station limts, Imphal West District. The arrested individuals were identified as Shirimayum Suraj Sharma alias Lion, Mutum Leishemba, Ningthoukhongjam Khedasana Senjam Yaiphaba, Laishram Leishemba and Laishram Kenedy.

Terrorist Hideout Busted in Kashmir

A terrorist hideout was busted in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district, on February 22, 2025.^[9] Arms and ammunition were seized during the raid. The hideout was unearthed by special operations group of Jammu and Kashmir Police in Mahore area of the district, the officials said. The search of the hideout led to the recovery of four under barrel grenade launchers (UBGLs), one full and three empty magazines of AK assault rifle, 268 rounds of assorted ammunition and four packets of detonators. No one has been arrested in connection with the recovery, thus far.

Defence Minister Highlights Unconventional Threats at sea

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, on February 25, 2025, highlighted emerging unconventional threats at sea, including cyber-attacks, data breach, signal jamming, radar disruption and GPS spoofing. He asked the navy and the coast guard to stay alert to the challenges stemming from swift technological advancements.^[10]

Drone Recovered from Maoist Hideout in Bastar

Security forces have recovered a drone made by Chinese firm DJI from a Maoist hideout in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region, on February 25, 2025, media reports said.^[11]

The drone, found near a security camp in Metaguda village, Sukma district, by a joint team of Chhattisgarh Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), is believed to have been used for air surveillance and capturing movement of forces. “It is a significant revelation that could offer new clues about unexplored launching pads of the Maoists and supplies of these technologies...” officials said.

NIA Raids in Patna for FICN

National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted raids, on February 19, 2025, in connection with circulation of Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) in Bhagalpur and Bhojpur districts, Bihar.^[12] NIA said that some important documents related to money transactions and electronic devices were seized during the raid. The NIA team and carried out searches in the house of Nagre Saddam, a software engineer, currently lodged in the Beur central jail, Patna, for his involvement in circulating FICN in September 2024.

Endnotes

^[1] https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/tahawwur-rana-joined-26-11-terror-attack-conspiracy-in-2005-officials-101739796453059.html [2]
^[2] https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/3-000-electric-detonators-seized-2-myanmar-nationals-arrested-in-mizoram-7724657 [3]
^[3] https://www.livemint.com/news/india/surrender-arms-within-7-days-manipur-governor-ajay-bhalla-urges-all-communities-to-restore-normalcy-meiteis-kuki-11740052557133.html [4]
^[4] https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/7-days-enough-for-giving-up-illegally-held-weapons-says-manipur-chief-secretary-7776908 [5]
^[5] https://assamtribune.com/north-east/manipur-sees-surrender-recovery-of-arms-ammunition-after-guvs-notice-1569078 [6]
^[6] https://m.economictimes.com/news/defence/17-militants-arrested-from-4-manipur-districts/articleshow/118436607.cms [7]
^[7] https://www.deccanherald.com/india/manipur/17-militants-arrested-from-four-manipur-districts-3415405 [8]
^[8] https://www.northeasttoday.in/2025/02/22/manipur-police-arrest-eight-militants-in-multiple-operations/ [9]
^[9] https://www.dailyexcelsior.com/terrorist-hideout-busted-in-jks-reasi-arms-and-ammunition-seized/ [10]
^[10] https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/rajnath-highlights-new-threats-at-sea-101740509528146.html [11]
^[11] https://theprint.in/india/drone-made-by-chinese-firm-recovered-from-maoist-hideout-in-chhattisgarhs-bastar-region-a-first/2511309/ [12]
^[12] https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2025/Feb/19/nia-conducts-raid-in-bihars-bhagalpur-bhojpur-in-fake-currency-racket-case [13]