NIA Arrests UKNA Chief and Two Student Leaders in Aizawl

Aizawl: The National Investigation Agency arrested two Kuki student leaders from Manipur in Aizawl on Thursday. Agents picked them up at a hotel in the Khatla area. This move followed the capture of United Kuki National Army chief Thangkhomang Haokip and his driver on the city outskirts. The Assam Rifles assisted in the operation.

Haokip faces multiple charges in Manipur. The UKNA chief is accused of playing a part in several violent incidents, including the June 10, 2024, ambush of an advance security convoy for former Chief Minister N Biren Singh. That attack occurred near Kotlen on National Highway-37 in the Kangpokpi district. The UKNA is not a signatory to the Suspension of Operations agreement.

All four individuals currently sit in NIA custody. An official stated, "The Subsidiary Intelligence Bureau (SIB), which had earlier been reported to be part of the operation, had no role in the arrests." Authorities have not yet released specific charges for the two student leaders or further details regarding the cases against Haokip.