NIA Arrests Second Suspect in Manipur IED Attack That Killed Two Children

The National Investigation Agency has made a second arrest in connection with an improvised explosive device attack on a home in Manipur's Bishnupur district in April, in which two minor children were killed and a third family member was injured.

The accused, identified as Thangmang Haokip, 48, was taken into custody from Churachandpur on September 25, an NIA spokesperson said. He is the second person held in the case, following the arrest of S Palal Thadou Kuki on August 12. Kuki is currently in judicial custody.

According to the agency, Haokip's alleged role in the attack came to light during the course of the investigation. After his arrest, he was produced before a court in Imphal, which ordered him to 12 days of police custody. Investigators said they are continuing to work on identifying other individuals involved in the conspiracy and on mapping the wider network behind the attack.

The case stems from an incident on April 7, when suspected militants fired an explosive device from a hillside towards Tronglaobi Awang Leikai in the Moirang area of Bishnupur district. The device struck the wall of a residential house and left three members of a family seriously injured. Two of the injured, both minor children, later died of their wounds. An unexploded improvised rocket-propelled grenade was also recovered near the site.

The matter was first registered at Moirang Police Station before the NIA took over and re-registered the case on April 23. The agency is probing the attack under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Explosive Substances Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

Investigations are ongoing, the spokesperson said.