Killing of 2 police Cdos in 2024 : NIA nets 3 Kuki militants
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 08 2025: The three Kuki militants arrested by the NIA recently had planned and executed a deadly attack on security forces in Moreh on January 17, 2024 which killed two police commandos and injured several other personnel, the NIA has said.

While the investigation was on for some time, the.

NIA had made the first breakthrough in the case on May 19, 2025 when it arrested Thangminlen Mate, who played a "key role" in orchestrating and carrying out the attack on the security forces in Moreh town, bordering Myanmar.

After Thangminlen Mate's arrest in May, the NIA again made another breakthrough, arresting two more militants, identified as Kamginthang Gangte and Hentinthang Kipgen on June 6 this year.

The three men, along with their associates, had planned, conspired and executed the attack on an Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) post and security forces in Moreh, Tengnoupal district, on January 17, 2024 .

The attack killed two police commandos and injured several others, said the NIA in a statement.

"Thangminlen Mate is a resident of Tengnoupal district and a member of the Kuki Inpi Tengnoupal (KIT) insurgent group," said the NIA.

He had played a key role in orchestrating and carrying out the attack.

He was apprehended on May 19, 2025 from Silchar, Assam, said the NIA.

Thangminlen Mate was produced before the NIA Court in Guwahati and was remanded to custody till May 28 .

He is currently lodged in Central Jail, Guwahati, under judicial custody.

The other accused, Kamginthang Gangte, a member of the Kuki National Army (KNA), and Hentinthang Kipgen alias Thangneo Kipgen, associated with the Village Volunteers group in Churachandpur district, were arrested on June 6.The duo was part of the team that had executed the deadly attack on the security forces in Moreh, said the NIA.

After their arrests in an operation in Moreh, they were produced before a Duty Magistrate, and a transit remand for their transfer to the NIA Special Court in Guwahati was granted till June 9, 2025 .

The NIA is continuing with its investigations and search for the other perpetrators of the attack in the case, said the agency.

Notably, Kamginthang Gangte, who is a top leader of the Kuki National Army (KNA), has been reportedly identified as the mastermind behind the assassination of Chingtham Anand, a Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) posted at Moreh on October 31, 2023 .

Chingtham Anand was shot dead by a sniper while he was overseeing the preparation of a helipad at the Eastern Shine Ground, Moreh town.

The arrests of the three militants, who planned and executed the deadly attack on security forces, have meanwhile triggered protests from Kuki groups in Moreh.

Civil society organisations, based in Moreh, have reportedly submitted a memorandum to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla denouncing the arrest of KNA leader Kamginthang Gangte.

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