UKHRUL, OCT 2: Thadou Inpi Manipur (TIM) has demanded that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) disclose the motive behind the April 7 IED attack at Tronglaobi Awang Leikai that killed a five-year-old boy and a five-month-old girl and critically injured their mother.
TIM said the attack targeted civilians and demanded a full investigation into those behind the bombing.
TIM said Manipur Police had identified S. Palal Kuki alias Lalboi Singson, arrested on July 23, as the finance head of the proscribed United Kuki National Army (UKNA) and “one of the main persons involved” in the attack.
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The NIA subsequently arrested Palal Kuki on August 12 as the prime accused in case RC-04/2026/NIA/IMP.
TIM also referred to the NIA’s September 29 announcement of the arrest of UKNA chief Thangmang Haokip, 48, who was remanded to 12 days of police custody.
The organisation said the bombing took place in the early hours of April 7, the day of the eighth Hun-Thadou Cultural Festival in Imphal. It said the attack came six days after TIM had publicly warned of threats against Thadou people over their participation in the festival.
TIM alleged that the attack was intended to target Meitei civilians, disrupt the cultural festival and create fear among the Thadou community.
It also alleged that the attack was aimed at provoking retaliatory violence against Thadou people by creating the impression that it was carried out in the name of “Kuki” groups.
TIM said neither the police nor the NIA had publicly stated the motive behind the attack.
It has demanded that the NIA explain in its chargesheet why the particular household and date were targeted and investigate possible links to the Hun-Thadou Cultural Festival, the threats issued before the event and the Covenant of Community Understanding signed on August 6, 2025.
It also called for the prosecution of those who planned, ordered, financed, armed or sheltered the perpetrators, irrespective of their position or affiliation.
TIM further demanded that the Centre and the Manipur government disclose what action was taken after its warnings and identify those responsible for any failure to protect the family.
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The Thadou Inpi also called for action against armed groups involved in extortion and violence, including arrests, disarmament and prosecution, and urged the government to formally proscribe groups engaged in terrorism under the law.
TIM then said the UKNA had earlier threatened the organisation over its joint press conference with the Meitei Alliance on March 7, 2025. According to TIM, the group had issued an ultimatum demanding cancellation of the event.
The press conference went ahead, following which TIM submitted a petition to the government on March 10, 2025, regarding the alleged threats from Kuki militant groups.
TIM has also alleged links between the UKNA, Kuki armed groups operating under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) framework and certain civil society organisations.
It cited the arrest of UKNA chief Thangmang Haokip alongside Jamkhomang Khongsai, vice-president of the Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO), as a reason for the NIA to examine the alleged links.
The Thadou body has specifically asked the NIA to investigate whether groups under the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and United People’s Front (UPF), operating under the SoO framework, and their affiliated organisations had any role in the Tronglaobi attack.
TIM also called for stronger protection for civilians and communities across Manipur and urged indigenous communities to stand together against violence and terrorism.
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