UKHRUL: A joint team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Manipur Police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on Saturday arrested two more persons in connection with the abduction and killing of six Naga men, taking the total number of arrests in the case to four.
According to an Manipur Police, the arrested accused have been identified as Lungoulal Vaiphei, son of Paothenkam Vaiphei, a resident of Leilon Vaiphei village under Leimakhong in Kangpokpi district, and Lunminthang Sitlhou alias Jack, son of Paolen Sitlhou, a resident of Molhoi village, also under Leimakhong in Kangpokpi district.
The arrests were made on July 18 as part of the ongoing investigation into the abduction and killing of the six Naga men. Police said efforts are continuing to apprehend other individuals allegedly involved in the crime.
The latest arrests come eight days after the first breakthrough in the case. On July 10, a joint team of the NIA, Manipur Police and CRPF arrested a married couple from the same Kuki village in Kangpokpi district. The accused, identified as Pradip and his wife Ayinghi, were arrested following what police had described as a “precise operation” based on credible intelligence. The operation was then termed a major breakthrough in the investigation.
The case relates to the abduction and subsequent killing of six Naga civilians, an incident that sparked widespread outrage and sustained protests across Naga-inhabited areas, with civil society organisations demanding justice, accountability and the arrest of all those responsible.
Meanwhile, in a separate development, Manipur Police said security forces recovered a cache of arms and ammunition during a search operation in the general area of Zero Point near Kotlen in Kangpokpi district on Saturday.
The recovered items include one .22 rifle with a magazine, 15 single-barrel rifles and three 9 mm pistols.
Police said the recovery was made as part of ongoing security operations in the district. No arrests have been reported in connection with the seizure. Search operations and efforts to recover illegal arms are continuing, the police added.
