THE National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday arrested a key accused from Imphal airport in a case relating to a transnational conspiracy by insurgents and terrorist outfits to exacerbate violence in Manipur and spread terror in the northeastern State. Thongminthang Haokip alias Thangboi Haokip alias Roger, a member of Kuki National Front-Military Council (KNF-MC), has been arrested under various sections of Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in a case registered suo motu by the NIA on July 19 last year, the NIA said in a statement.

“The conspiracy had been hatched by Kuki and Zomi insurgents backed by terrorist organisations based in the northeastern States and in neighbouring Myanmar with the aim to exploit the current ethnic unrest in the region and wage war against the Government of India through violent attacks, as per NIA investigations,” it said.

 

The accused was found to have been involved in attacks on security forces at various places during the ongoing insurgency and violence, said the statement. Roger was in touch with the insurgent group, Kuki National Front-Burma (KNF-B) of Myanmar, for logistics support to aggravate the volatile situation in the state of Manipur and create terror in the minds of the people, it said. “NIA investigations have revealed the accused had met the leaders of PDF/KNF-B (Myanmar) for supply of arms, ammunition and explosives for use in the current phase of violence in Manipur,” the statement said.