Imphal— The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has formally arrested Thongminthang Haokip, also known as Thangboi Haokip or Roger, a member of the Kuki National Front-Military Council (KNF-MC).
His arrest is linked to the deadly attack on April 27, 2024, in which two personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were killed and two others injured in Naranseina Maning, Bishnupur District, Manipur.
The Special Court NIA in Manipur approved the formal arrest and has remanded Haokip to NIA custody until October 28, 2024. This arrest follows an earlier detention on June 6, 2024, at Imphal Airport concerning a different ongoing investigation by the NIA in Delhi.
Currently, Haokip is being held at the District Jail in Rohini, New Delhi, with court proceedings conducted via video conferencing to review the available evidence.
On October 25, the Manipur Police announced the recovery of various weaponry and explosives during operations in Bishnupur District.
The seized items included an SLR 7.62 mm rifle, a magazine, six HE 36 grenades, four grenade arm rings, two tear gas grenades, three stinger grenades, five dual shells, six blank cartridges, two WT sets (Baofeng), two bulletproof jackets, and an improvised explosive device (IED) weighing approximately 2.3 kg, accompanied by four HE 36 detonators.
In a related operation on the same day, security forces recovered additional arms and ammunition from Shantipur Makha Leikai in Imphal West District.
This cache included a single barrel gun, two locally made 9 mm pistols with two magazines, one empty 7.62 LMG magazine, three M-67 hand grenades with detonators, one tube launching device, four live rounds, 41 empty ammunition cases, and two tear smoke shells.
The ongoing investigations and security operations underscore the NIA’s commitment to addressing threats to national security in the region, particularly in light of the rising tensions and violence.