NIA Arrests Second Accused in Manipur’s Tronglaobi IED Attack That Killed Two Children

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday said it has arrested the second accused in connection with a case linked to the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attack at a residential house in Manipur's Tronglaobi Awang Leikai area in Bishnupur district on April 7 this year, in which two minor children died, and another person was injured.

The 48-year-old accused, identified as Thangmang Haokip, of Churachandpur district in Manipur, was arrested on September 25 and produced before a Special NIA Court-II, Imphal, which remanded him to 12 days' police custody.

Haokip is the second accused to be arrested in the case, after S Palal Thadou Kuki, who was arrested on August 12 this year. Kuki is presently in judicial custody.

The case (RC-04/2026/NIA/IMP) was initially registered at Moirang Police Station in Manipur 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. An unexploded improvised RPG was also recovered near the site.

NIA re-registered the case on April 23 under the provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Explosive Substances Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and the involvement of Thangmang Haokip subsequently surfaced during the investigation.

The anti-terror agency further said its investigation is underway to identify and apprehend other persons involved in the conspiracy and to ascertain the larger network behind the attack.

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