A serving Assistant Sub-Inspector of Manipur Police and another accused have been arrested in connection with the rape and murder of Hmar woman Zosangkim in Jiribam. The NIA alleges links between the crime and militants associated with Arambai Tenggol and the Manipur People’s Army.
BY PC Bureau
June 20: The National Investigation Agency’s latest crackdown on cases linked to the Manipur ethnic violence has led to the arrest of members of Arambai Tenggol, a serving Manipur Police officer, and other accused believed to be involved in some of the state’s most serious incidents of violence, arms looting, murder, attacks on security forces and bank robbery.
The arrests, carried out in joint operations by the NIA, Manipur Police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) across multiple districts, mark one of the most significant developments in the ongoing investigations into the violence that has rocked the state since May 2023.
Among the ten arrested persons were four men accused of participating in the February 2024 looting of firearms from the 5th India Reserve Battalion (IRB) camp at Chingarel Tejpur in Imphal East district. The accused — Haorokcham Manaocha (30), Mutum Naoba Singh (36), Kangabam Somananda Singh (41) and Ningthoujam Momocha Singh alias Mocha (37) — have been identified by investigators as members of Arambai Tenggol.
According to the NIA, the four were part of a criminal conspiracy to loot weapons from the IRB armoury and played active roles in the incident. During questioning, they allegedly acknowledged their association with Arambai Tenggol and admitted involvement in the arms loot case.
The operation also resulted in the arrest of Salam Deepak Singh (35), a serving Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) of Manipur Police, and Ningthoujam Boboy Singh (37) in connection with the rape and murder of a Hmar woman, Zosangkim, in Jiribam district in November 2024.
READ: 10 Arrested in Major NIA Crackdown Across Manipur
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10 accused have been arrested in a coordinated joint operation with Manipur Police & CRPF in various cases of ethnic violence in the north-eastern state, involving attacks on security forces, looting of arms & ammunition, and bank robberies. pic.twitter.com/YNDTYRv168
— NIA India (@NIA_India) June 19, 2026
Investigators have alleged that the crime was committed by armed militants linked to Arambai Tenggol and the Manipur People’s Army (MPA), a Meitei insurgent outfit. The NIA said evidence collected during the investigation established the involvement of the two accused in the crime, including acts of arson and murder.
The remaining four arrests were made in connection with separate cases involving the robbery at Punjab National Bank in Ukhrul, the abduction and killing of four Kuki men, the attack on CRPF personnel at Narainsena on April 27, 2024, and the ambush on the convoy of the Chief Minister on June 10, 2024.
According to the NIA, investigations have revealed that the accused played active roles in various incidents of violence during the period of ethnic unrest, including attacks on security forces, looting of arms and ammunition, killings and bank robberies. The agency said it is also examining possible links between the different cases, as well as the individuals and groups allegedly involved.
Officials said the arrests are expected to provide crucial leads on the planning, execution and support networks behind several major incidents of violence in Manipur, where investigations into multiple NIA cases remain ongoing.
