Photo Courtesy: nenow
Imphal: S. Palal Thadou, the alleged finance head of the United Kuki National Army, now sits in Guwahati Central Jail. The NIA special court ordered his transfer following a virtual hearing on August 21. He will stay there until September 3, 2026. Security concerns prompted the move. Prosecutors argued that holding Thadou in Manipur risked his ties to a broader criminal network. The defense pushed for his transfer to the Churachandpur jail, citing health issues and his family. The court flatly rejected that request.
Thadou has been in custody since his August 12 arrest. The NIA links him to the April 7 bombing in the Tronglaobi Awang Leikai area of Bishnupur. That explosion killed two children, aged five years and five months. Their mother, Oinam Binita, suffered critical injuries. Investigators say the device came from a hillside. The case is now filed as RC-04/2026/NIA/IMP under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Explosive Substances Act, and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.
The NIA is digging into his involvement in several other violent incidents. These include a December 16, 2025, bomb blast in Torbung and a February 2026 shooting in Molnom. He is also linked to firing incidents in Kaprang on July 4, 2026, and two attacks on CRPF personnel in March. The NIA investigation continues as they track money and communication trails. Officials describe the current case as a major breakthrough. One investigator noted, "The case is being treated as a major breakthrough in the investigation."
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