NIA Arrests Accused in Attack on Army Convoy in Manipur

The NIA has arrested an alleged member of a terror organisation in connection with the 2015 Manipur ambush.

(Photo: Reuters)

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday arrested an alleged member of a terror organisation in connection with the ambush on an Army convoy in 2015 in Manipur in which 18 personnel were killed, an official said.

The official also added that the agency seized a pistol and five live rounds from Naorem Premkanta Singh, a member of the banned Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL), in an operation jointly conducted by the NIA and the Manipur Police.

He was "found involved in an NIA case related to the ambush on Army personnel in Chandel district, Manipur, on 4 June 2015, in which 18 Army personnel were killed", a statement from the agency read. It said he participated in the ambush on Army personnel of the 6th Dogra Battalion and had been absconding since then. "During the investigation, a reward of Rs 2 lakh was announced by the NIA on any information leading to his arrest. The special NIA court, Imphal, had also issued a non-bailable arrest warrant. The court has announced him a proclaimed offender," the agency added.

The NIA had earlier arrested one Khumlo Abi Anal, 40, a self-styled 'Regional Commander' of NSCN-K.

This time around, the agency examined many of the surrendered militants of NSCN-K during the course of the probe, who in turn were of help in identifying the accused.

NSCN(K), which walked out of a ceasefire agreement with India in March 2015, has been involved in a series of attacks along with some other militant groups in the North-East under the name of 'United Liberation Front of South East Asia'. During previously held bilateral meetings, the country had handed over a list of over 20 insurgent camps operating in Myanmar, a few kilometres from the Indian border. However, the Myanmar Army had denied the existence of any insurgent camps within its geographical territory.