Three arrested in two Manipur violence cases
More than 260 people were killed and thousands left homeless in ethnic violence between Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and adjoining hills-based Kuki-Zo groups since May 2023
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested three individuals in two separates cases related to the Manipur ethnic violence, the agency said on Tuesday.
In the first case, the federal anti-terror probe agency arrested a cadre of the militant KCP-PWG (Kangleipak Communist Party-People’s War Group) faction in a murder and abduction case. The accused, Waikhom Rohit Singh of Thoubal Pakhangkhong Leirak, Thoubal district, was picked up by an NIA team for his involvement in the conspiracy and execution of the crime.
Sharing details of the murder and abduction case, NIA said, “In November 2023, a CRPF team deployed on naka duty in Kangchup Chingkhong area of Imphal West district had detained a Bolero vehicle. The vehicle was found carrying five persons belonging to one of the two main communities involved in the ethnic clashes in the north-eastern state. A large mob of angry persons belonging to the rival community had then gathered around and forcibly taken away four of the individuals while one had managed to escape. The bodies of three of the four persons were recovered later”.
In the second case, the agency arrested two persons belonging to banned militant groups for their involvement in the brutal killing of a woman and burning and looting of houses by armed militants in Zairawn village in Jiribam district of Manipur in November last year.
Accused Nongthombam Meiraba, hailing from Bishnupur district and belonging to the proscribed insurgent group United National Liberation Front (UNLF), was involved in the actual shooting of the woman, identified as Zosangkim, NIA said.
The other accused, Sagolsem Sanatomba of Thoubal district, was a member of the Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL), another insurgent outfit in Manipur, and was part of the team involved in the carnage, it added.
More than 260 people were killed and thousands left homeless in ethnic violence between Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and adjoining hills-based Kuki-Zo groups since May 2023.
