The NIA arrested one more accused in connection with the improvised explosive device (IED) attack on a house in Bishnupur District, Manipur, on April 7 in which two minor children died and another person was injured
NEW DELHI — The NIA arrested one more accused in connection with the improvised explosive device (IED) attack on a house in Bishnupur District, Manipur, on April 7 in which two minor children died and another person was injured, an official said on Tuesday.
Thangmang Haokip of Churachandpur, Manipur, was arrested on September 25. He is the second accused to be arrested in the case, after S. Palal Thadout Kuki, arrested on August 12, who is presently in judicial custody, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) said in a statement.
The case (RC-04/2026/NIA/IMP) was initially registered at Moirang Police Station after unknown militants launched an explosive device from a hillside at Tronglaobi Awang Leikai, striking the wall of a residential house and causing serious injuries to three family members, two of whom, both minor children, later succumbed to injuries.
An unexploded improvised RPG was also recovered near the site, it said.
The NIA re-registered the case on April 23 under the provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Explosive Substances Act and the UA (P) Act, and the involvement of Thangmang Haokip subsequently surfaced during the investigation.
Thangmang Haokip was arrested by NIA on September 25 and produced before the Special NIA Court-II, Imphal, which remanded him to 12 days of police custody.
Further investigation is underway to identify and apprehend other persons involved in the conspiracy and to ascertain the larger network behind the attack, the NIA said.
In a separate development in Guwahati on Tuesday, the NIA arrested Mustafizur Rahman from his residence in the Azad Nagar area of Barpeta Road in Assam and conducted a search as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged jihadi activities, officials said.
An NIA team reached Rahman’s residence and carried out a search operation during which his mobile phone was reportedly seized.
The agency’s action comes around two months after Rahman was released from Guwahati Central Jail, where he had remained in custody following his arrest by the Assam Police’s Special Task Force (STF).
Rahman was earlier arrested by the STF on March 14 from Azad Nagar in Barpeta Road in connection with an investigation into his alleged links to jihadi activities.
At the time, the STF had reportedly conducted searches and seized electronic devices and other materials as part of the probe.
Following his arrest, Rahman was lodged in Guwahati Central Jail for an extended period before being released on bail around two months ago.
The latest NIA operation has brought him under renewed scrutiny as the central agency continues its investigation into the alleged activities.