The National Investigation Agency of India (NIA) arrested Thongminthang Haokip on Thursday in relation to a transnational conspiracy to exacerbate violence in Manipur. The arrest was made under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
According to the NIA, the conspiracy involves factions of Kuki insurgents, including the Kuki National Front (KNF). The KNF, which operates both in Manipur and neighboring Myanmar, aims to exploit the ongoing ethnic unrest in the region to wage war against the Government of India employing violent methods. The NIA reported that the arrested individual was actively engaged in armed attacks on security forces and in smuggling arms and ammunition.
Manipur has experienced severe conflict due to long-standing ethnic tension between the Meitei and the Kuki communities. These tensions escalated dramatically in May 2023, following the Meitei community’s demand to obtain Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, a designation that would allow them affirmative action in governmental positions. The Kuki community, already holding ST status, feared increased marginalization, leading to widespread riots, horrific incidents of sexual violence, and an internet shutdown imposed by the government.
The situation remains extremely volatile, with the NIA continuing its investigation into the conspiracy and other involved entities, highlighting the complexity and transnational nature of insurgent activities in the region.
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