NIA Arrests Five in Connection with Bishnupur Mortar Blast Incident
NIA Takes Action Following Mortar Blast
Home Minister K Govindas Konthoujam (centre) addressing the press, on Wednesday. (AT Photo)
Imphal, April 15: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has detained five suspects linked to the mortar explosion in Bishnupur that tragically resulted in the deaths of two young children and injured their mother, as stated by Manipur's Home Minister K Govindas Konthoujam during a press conference on Wednesday.
During his address at the New Secretariat in Mantripukhri, Konthoujam revealed that those apprehended are affiliated with the United Kuki National Liberation Army (UKNLA), an outlawed Kuki militant group that is not part of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with the central government.
“We are maintaining regular communication with the NIA. All individuals arrested are from the Kuki community and are members of the UKNLA, which is outside the SoO agreement. Their questioning is currently ongoing,” he explained.
The arrests are related to the mortar blast that occurred on April 7 in Bishnupur district, which sparked significant public outrage after claiming the lives of a 5-year-old boy and a 5-month-old girl.
Addressing a separate incident involving clashes between security forces and local residents in Thinungei on Tuesday, the Minister clarified that the altercation arose from a “misunderstanding.”
He elaborated that a team of Assam Rifles personnel, who were in civilian attire, were en route to Kwakta to seize drugs and weapons based on intelligence gathered from a drug dealer apprehended earlier at Imphal Airport.
Locals in Thinungei stopped the team, suspecting them of engaging in illegal arms trafficking.
The situation escalated, resulting in violence and injuries on both sides, with reports indicating that eight weapons were taken from the Assam Rifles personnel during the incident.
“All the stolen weapons have been recovered,” Konthoujam confirmed, urging the public to collaborate with authorities, acknowledging the government's awareness of community sentiments.
Regarding Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh’s outreach efforts to hill districts, the Minister noted a positive response from the Kuki community, with various developmental projects currently in progress.
The press conference was attended by six MLAs from Bishnupur district along with senior officials.
In the meantime, protests demanding justice for the two children killed in the blast are ongoing across several valley districts, contributing to heightened tensions in the state.