Tani Army
| Tani Army | |
|---|---|
 Flag of the Tani Army | |
Leaders |
|
| Dates active | June 2005 – present |
| Headquarters | Undisclosed camps near the Indo-Myanmar border |
| Active regions |
|
| Ideology | Tani nationalism |
| Size | Not publicly disclosed |
| Part of | National Socialist Council of Taniland, formerly National Liberation Council of Taniland |
| Wars | Insurgency in Northeast India |
The Tani Army, also called the United Tani Army (UTA), is an armed Tani nationalist and separatist group active in the northeastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh[2][3][4].
History and Ideology
[edit]It is associated with the National Socialist Council of Taniland (NSCT)[5] with news reports having variously described the UTA as both the armed wing of the NSCT as well as a renamed continuation of it[6][7]. The group espouses Tani nationalism, and like its predecessor has advanced the demand for a separate nation of Taniland for the Tani peoples[8].
The group's chairman, Anthony Doke, was earlier a member of the National Liberation Council of Taniland (NLCT), a Tani separatist group formed around 2005 that was largely neutralised by the Arunachal Pradesh Police by the end of 2010[9][10]. The UTA emerged as a new outfit at the end of 2024[11][12].
Police has since then, booked UTA members under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), and government statements and news reports since have described the outfit as banned or proscribed[13][14].
Activities
[edit]In December 2024, the UTA publicly opposed the construction of several large dams in Arunachal Pradesh, demanding the cancellation of all memorandum of understanding and memorandum of agreement signed with hydropower developers.[15] The group has also released videos showcasing their camps, reportedly located near the Indo-Myanmar border, and displayed their arsenal of weapons.[16]
In January 2025, the Arunachal Pradesh Police arrested Tana Hassi[17], who was allegedly involved in recruiting youths into the UTA[18][19]. Anthony Doke the Commander in Chief of Tani army, has however refuted these claims, asserting that the detained individuals are former NLCT members with no current affiliation to the UTA[20].
In September 2025, the group's Vice-Chairman Biri Ruja[21], was arrested along with three other cadres by Arunachal Pradesh Police[22][23]
The group was also involved in sending soldiers to fight for the Myanmar junta against the Burmese People's Defence Force during the current Myanmar civil war in 2023 and 2024.[24]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ "Extortion notes, propaganda messages seized from UTA members". Arunachal Pradesh. Retrieved 21 October 2025.
- ↑ "Arunachal police arrest main recruiter of United Tani Army". India Today NE. 17 January 2025. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
- ↑ "Arunachal Police dismantle cross-border militancy, arms trafficking network". Northeast News. 8 May 2025. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
- ↑ "Arunachal Pradesh Police Dismantle Cross-Border Militant Recruitment Network". 9 May 2025. Retrieved 1 September 2026.
- ↑ "New Arunachal armed group's members told to come overground". The Hindu. 17 January 2025. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
- ↑ "Police bust militant recruitment racket in Arunachal Pradesh". The Assam Tribune. 9 May 2025. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
- ↑ "Arunachal Pradesh: United Tani Army Calls for Ban on Mega Dams and Other Reforms". The Sentinel. 24 December 2024. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
- ↑ "Arunachal Pradesh Police Dismantle Cross-Border Militant Recruitment Network". 9 May 2025. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
- ↑ "Police picking up former NLCT members is harassment, says Doke | The Arunachal Times". 17 January 2025. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
- ↑ NEWS, NE NOW (17 January 2025). "Arunachal police question former rebels, UTA claims no connection". NorthEast Now. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
- ↑ "Police picking up former NLCT members is harassment, says Doke". The Arunachal Times. 17 January 2025. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
- ↑ "India: Troubled Borders In Arunachal Pradesh". Eurasia Review. 24 February 2025. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
- ↑ "Arunachal: APP Arrests UTA Operative for Alleged Recruitment Activities". The Sentinel. 18 January 2025. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
- ↑ "Two UTA cadres surrender in Arunachal, rejoin mainstream". The Print. PTI. 24 July 2025. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
- ↑ "United Tani Army seeks quashing of hydropower projects | The Arunachal Times". 24 December 2024. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
- ↑ "United Tani Army's Anthony Doke releases base videos showing weapons | The Arunachal Times". 31 December 2024. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
- ↑ "Arunachal police arrest main recruiter of United Tani Army". India Today NE. 17 January 2025. Retrieved 1 September 2026.
- ↑ "APP arrests UTA operative carrying out recruitment | The Arunachal Times". 18 January 2025. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
- ↑ "Arunachal Pradesh police appeal to armed group members to return, key recruiter held". The New Indian Express. 17 January 2025. Retrieved 1 September 2026.
- ↑ "Arunachal: Police Refute UTA Chief's Claims, Arrest Key Recruiter". Sentinel Assam. 18 January 2025. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
- ↑ "Arunachal Police arrest four UTA members, seize propaganda on SUMP". EastMojo. 17 September 2025. Retrieved 1 September 2026.
- ↑ "Extortion notes, propaganda messages seized from UTA members | The Arunachal Times". 17 September 2025. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
- ↑ "Extortion notes, propaganda messages seized from UTA members". Arunachal Pradesh. Retrieved 21 October 2025.
- ↑ Ajum, Bengja (24 July 2025). "Coerced into war in Myanmar, two escape from camps". Arunachal Times.