Imphal: In a major breakthrough in the ongoing investigation into the ethnic violence that gripped Manipur last year, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested two militants linked to banned insurgent outfits for their alleged involvement in the horrific killing of a woman in Jiribam district.
The arrests, announced on Tuesday, mark a grim reminder of the brutality that unfolded during the months-long unrest between Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Nongthombam Meiraba of Bishnupur district, affiliated with the proscribed United National Liberation Front (UNLF), and Sagolsem Sanatomba, also known as Surchandra Singh or Piba, a member of the Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) from Thoubal district.
The duo stands accused of participating in the gruesome murder of 31-year-old Zosangkim, whose charred and mutilated body was discovered on November 7, 2023, in Zairawn village.
The autopsy report described her condition as unimaginably brutal—99 percent burns, missing facial features, and dismembered limbs. Experts confirmed the post-mortem nature of the mutilation, with burnt bone fragments showing no signs of vital reaction.
According to the NIA, Meiraba was directly involved in shooting the victim, while Sanatomba participated in the burning and looting of houses during the assault on Zairawn.
The agency confirmed that both men are now in custody until May 17 as the investigation progresses. Their arrests come at a time when law enforcement agencies are working to piece together the full scope of the ethnic violence that erupted in May 2023 and has since claimed over 260 lives and displaced thousands.
The region, particularly Jiribam—a district with a delicate ethnic balance—had largely remained unaffected by the conflict until June 2023, when the mutilated body of a local farmer triggered retaliatory violence. Since then, tension has simmered, exacerbated by the discovery of mass killings, targeted abductions, and arson.
Adding another layer to its ongoing probe, the NIA has also apprehended Waikhom Rohit Singh, a cadre of the militant faction Kangleipak Communist Party–People’s War Group (KCP-PWG), in connection with a chilling case of abduction and murder linked to the ethnic strife. Singh, who hails from Thoubal Pakhangkhong Leirak, was arrested for his suspected role in the orchestration and execution of a violent episode that occurred in November 2023.
The case in question involves the interception of a Bolero vehicle by a CRPF naka party in the Kangchup Chingkhong area of Imphal West. The vehicle was carrying five members of one of the two warring communities when a mob from the opposing side forcibly abducted four of the passengers. Only one managed to escape. The bodies of three of the four abducted individuals were later recovered, pointing to a coordinated act of communal retaliation.
Following a directive from the Ministry of Home Affairs, the NIA took over the case in February 2024 and continues to pursue leads across Manipur. The central agency’s latest actions underscore the severity of the crimes committed during the period of unrest and the government’s resolve to bring justice to victims of targeted ethnic violence.
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