Reported by Bit Irom
Imphal: The National Investigation Agency (NIA), with assistance from the Manipur Police and the CRPF, arrested 10 individuals across multiple districts for their alleged involvement in the 2023–2024 ethnic violence.
This included four members of the radical group Arambai Tenggol (AT), who were arrested in connection with a 2024 arms-looting incident.
In one of the most coordinated crackdowns to date, the NIA, supported by the Manipur Police and the CRPF, arrested 10 key accused persons in connection with various ethnic violence cases.
During the operation, joint security forces arrested four prominent Arambai Tenggol volunteers.
The arrests were made during simultaneous cordon-and-search operations across the Imphal West, Imphal East, and Bishnupur districts.
The four Arambai Tenggol members are accused of involvement in the 2023 violence, particularly in the February 13, 2024, looting of arms and ammunition from the 5th Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) post at Chingarel.
The arrested volunteers have been identified as Haobicham Manaocha (30) of Sanjenbam Mayai Leikai, Imphal West; Mutum Naoba (36) of Nambol Oinam Leikai, Bishnupur; Kangabam Somananda (41) of Tankham Awang Leikai, Imphal East; and Ningthoubam Bobby alias Khongthaba (37) of Leimakhong Premnagar/Mandov Yumpham Relief Camp, Khurkhul, Imphal West.
As the four individuals were expected to be produced before the NIA Court in Thoubal, family members gathered near the court premises, prompting the deployment of personnel from the Thoubal District Police and the Rapid Action Force (RAF) to secure the area.
The NIA officially took over the case in July 2025.
With these four latest arrests, the agency has now apprehended a total of 10 individuals linked to violence in the state.
The other six were arrested in connection with the 2023 Ukhrul Punjab National Bank (PNB) robbery case, the 2024 murder of a Hmar woman in Jiribam, the abduction and killing of four Kuki individuals, the attack on CRPF personnel at Naranseina, and the ambush on the Chief Minister’s convoy.
The state government had earlier ordered a magisterial inquiry into the arms-looting incidents, which also led to the arrest of six individuals by the police and the suspension of seven IRB personnel.