Imphal: Security forces in Manipur arrested an alleged cadre of the proscribed Kangleipak Communist Party (Meeyamgi Fingang Lanmee) and recovered a cache of weapons and ammunition during a joint operation on Friday. Separately, a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court remanded United Kuki National Army (UKNA) chief Thangmang Haokip, alias Thangkhomang, to judicial custody until October 22 in connection with the April 7 IED attack that killed two children in Tronglaobi Awang Leikai.

According to officials, Imphal East commandos and security forces arrested Pukhrambam Jackson Singh, 26, an alleged active cadre of the KCP (MFL) operating under the Group of 5 alliance.

Acting on intelligence inputs, security personnel first apprehended Singh at Ngariyan Chingkhong and subsequently conducted a search operation in the foothills of Nongmaijing Ching near Gournagar, based on information obtained during questioning.

The operation led to the recovery of an M16 rifle with two magazines, a 40mm Lethod gun, a .32 pistol with a magazine, a Chinese hand grenade, 495 rounds of 5.56mm live ammunition and two Baofeng wireless communication sets with chargers.

In a separate development, the special NIA court in Manipur extended the judicial custody of UKNA commander-in-chief Thangmang Haokip until October 22. The 48-year-old is accused of masterminding the April 7 IED attack at Tronglaobi Awang Leikai, which killed five-year-old Oinam Tomthin and his five-month-old sister, Oinam Yaisana. Their mother, Oinam Ongbi Binita, was also seriously injured in the blast.

According to the prosecution, Haokip was arrested in Aizawl, Mizoram, on September 24 and brought to Imphal on a five-day transit remand. He was subsequently taken into NIA custody on September 28 before being transferred to the agency’s Guwahati branch office.

The NIA secured the extension of his judicial custody through a video-conferencing hearing from Guwahati. The Special Public Prosecutor argued that continued detention was necessary for the investigation to progress.

Haokip’s arrest is the second major breakthrough in the case. On July 23, a joint team of the Indian Army and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) arrested UKNA finance chief S Palal Thadou in Churachandpur district. He was subsequently transferred to NIA custody on August 12.

The investigation into the Tronglaobi bombing is continuing as the agency seeks to establish the alleged roles of those involved in the attack.