NIA arrests Kuki militant leader in conspiracy case
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, September 30 2023: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested a key leader of a Kuki militant group on the charge of transnational conspiracy to wage war against India by exploiting the current ethnic unrest in Manipur.

The arrested Kuki militant leader has been identified as Seiminthang Gangte, son of Paokhokai Gangte of J Muntha village, Churachandpur.

According to a statement of NIA, Seiminthang Gangte conspired with the leadership of Myanmar and Bangladesh based terror outfits to wage war against India by triggering the current ethnic unrest in Manipur.

Myanmar and Bangladesh based militant groups have entered into a conspiracy with a section of militant leaders in India to indulge in incidents of violence with an intention to drive a wedge between different ethnic groups.

To probe the conspiracy, a sou motu case was registered on July 19, 2023 and Seiminthang Gangte arrested from Churachandpur district on Saturday morning as part of the investigation.

'Investigation revealed that Myanmar and Bangladesh based militant groups have entered into a conspiracy with a section of militant leaders in India to indulge in incidents of violence with an intention to drive a wedge between different ethnic groups and to wage war against the government of India.

And for this purpose, the aforementioned leadership have been providing funds to procure arms, ammunition and other types of terrorist hardware which are being sourced both, from across the border, as well as from other terrorist outfits active in north eastern states of India to stoke the current ethnic strife in Manipur, the NIA said in its statement.

It also said that Gangte has been brought to Delhi and will be produced before a jurisdictional court in Delhi to further investigate the case.

Gangte's arrest comes days after the agency took into custody a former militant cadre - Moirangthem Anand Singh in the same case.

Anand was arrested on September 24 and brought to Delhi as well.

Anand Singh was originally arrested by the Manipur police on September 16 along with four others for allegedly wearing camouflaged uniforms and possessing arms.

CHRONICLE NEWS NETWORK IMPHAL: Moreh losing status as business hub CHRONICLE NEWS SERVICE IMPHAL: The state government needs to take immediate steps to stop renaming of places in Moreh by Kukis.

There have been several instances in which Kuki community attempted to replace names of places, localities and river in Moreh that have been existing since the time of Meetei kings.

Khudengthabi village which was named by Meetei king has been changed to Sibong village by the Kukis and it seems that the government is also unaware about attempts to rename Lokchao along the Imphal-Moreh road to Tuipi in Kuki language.

In the past too, stones engraved with Kuki Leikai (Veng) were erected in Meetei localities in Moreh Town but were removed by Meetei Council Moreh (MCM).

If the MCM had not been there in Moreh, the Meetei community would have been most likely overcome by the Kukis.

Arson attack on Meetei houses in Moreh by the Kukis could have been prevented had the 5 Assam Rifles stationed there acted impartially.

It is only due to presence of state forces including special commando, commando, IRB, MR and police in Moreh that the Kukis are yet to take over properties of Meetei community burnt down during the ethnic violence.

Moreh which used to be a vibrant business hub with many communities settling peacefully is witnessing sharp decline in commercial activities as several communities have started leaving the border town.

The people of Moreh survive through trade as it has no adequate agricultural land and get most of their farm produce from vegetable sellers of Myanmar who cross the Indo-Myanmar border into Moreh Town.

Comment