A joint team led by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested two more individuals in connection with the abduction and murder of six Naga civilians in Manipur.
IMPHAL — Just a week after two people were arrested in connection with the abduction and murder of six Naga civilians in Kangpokpi district, a joint team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Manipur Police and CRPF arrested two more individuals on Saturday.
This brings the total number of arrests in the case to four.
Sharing about the new development, the Manipur Police updated on X that the NIA-led joint team arrested two more accused individuals--Lungoulal Vaiphei, a resident Leilon Vaiphei village, Leimakhong, Kangpokpi, and Lunminthang Sitlhou alias Jack, a resident of Molhoi village, Leimakhong, Kangpokpi—on Saturday.
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"Further efforts are on to arrest other individuals connected with the case," the police added.
Earlier on July 10, the NIA-led joint team arrested two other accused — identified as Pradip and Ayingbi — both residents of Leilon Vaiphei village, during an early morning operation.
The case is related to the abduction of six Liangmai Naga civilians from Leilon Vaiphei village in Kangpokpi district on May 13, before their mortal remains were recovered during a massive search operation in the same district on June 10. The bodies continue to remain at the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) mortuary in Porompat, Imphal East district.
Read more: Manipur: Two arrested in connection with murder of six Naga civilians
The killings sparked widespread outrage across the state and drew condemnation from civil society organisations and political leaders.
Several Naga civil society organisations, including the United Naga Council (UNC), Manipur, have been demanding justice for the six victims. Last week, UNC president Ng Lorho told the media that the organisation was not in a position to claim the bodies until its four-point charter of demands was fulfilled.
The demands include the abrogation of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with Kuki militant groups, the arrest of all those involved in the abduction and murder of the six Naga civilians, the arrest of the chief of Leilon Vaiphei village, and the removal of Nemcha Kipgen from the post of Deputy Chief Minister.