NIA Cracks Down: Manipur Militant Arrested in 2023 Ethnic Clash Case

The National Investigation Agency has apprehended a member of the KCP-PWG faction in connection with a 2023 murder and abduction during Manipur's ethnic clashes. The detained individual, Waikhom Rohit Singh, is under judicial custody while investigations continue into the case stemming from violent community disputes.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has apprehended a member of the militant Kangleipak Communist Party-People's War Group (KCP-PWG) faction, according to agency reports. The arrest pertains to a murder and abduction case linked to the ethnic clashes in Manipur in 2023. The detained cadre, Waikhom Rohit Singh from Thoubal district, was taken into custody by an NIA task force for his alleged role in orchestrating and executing the crime. Singh is currently being held under judicial custody following the completion of his initial remand.

In an incident dating back to November 2023, a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) unit stationed at a checkpoint in Imphal West district's Kangchup Chingkhong area intercepted a Bolero vehicle. The vehicle was found to be transporting five individuals aligned with one of the two main ethnic groups involved in the region's clashes. A mob from the opposing community rapidly assembled, forcibly abducting four individuals, with one managing to escape. Tragically, the bodies of three of those abducted were subsequently discovered. The NIA took charge of the investigation in February 2024, following instructions from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, and continues to delve into the case.

(With inputs from agencies.)