The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has officially taken over the investigation into three recent violent incidents in Jiribam, Manipur, following directions from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). A press release from the NIA detailed the re-registration of the cases, highlighting their gravity and the need for a comprehensive probe to uncover the larger conspiracy behind the attacks.
“Acting swiftly on the Union Ministry of Home Affairs’s directions to bring the culprits to book expeditiously, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has launched thorough investigations into three major cases relating to the recent spate of violence in Manipur,” stated the release.
The three cases were re-registered by the NIA on November 13, 2024, after the MHA deemed the offences severe enough to warrant the anti-terror agency’s involvement.
Case 1: Borobekra Killings and Arson
The first case (FIR No. 29(11) Borobekra PS, dated November 11, 2024) pertains to the burning of several houses and the killing of two civilians in Borobekra. Unknown militants also abducted and murdered six individuals, including three women and three children, during the incident.
The attack unfolded on November 11 when armed militants targeted the Borobekra Police Station and nearby houses and shops in Jakuradhor Karong. The militants also set the structures ablaze. Security forces, including police and CRPF personnel, engaged in a gunfight with the attackers, which led to the recovery of two charred bodies. The case has been re-registered as RC-15/2024/NIA/IMP under various sections of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023 and the Arms Act, 1959.
Case 2: Attack on CRPF Post and Borobekra PS
The second case relates to the November 11 assault on a CRPF post at Jakuradhor Karong and the Borobekra Police Station. Militants injured a CRPF constable during the attack, who was subsequently evacuated to Silchar for treatment. Security forces later recovered the bodies of unidentified militants along with arms and ammunition near the attack site. Originally registered as FIR No. 30(11) at Borobekra PS, the case has been re-registered as RC-14/2024/NIA/IMP under the BNS, 2023, and the Arms Act, 1959.
Case 3: Murder of Zosangkim
The third case pertains to the brutal murder of a 31-year-old woman, Zosangkim, in Jiribam on November 7. The victim, a mother of three and wife of Ngurthansang from Jairolpokpi, was allegedly raped and burnt alive at her residence by armed militants. The case, initially registered as FIR No. 80(11)2024 at Jiribam PS, has been re-registered as RC-13/2024/NIA/IMP under the BNS, 2023, Arms Act, 1959, and the UA(P) Act.
Investigation Progress
NIA teams visited the crime scenes on November 21-22, 2024, and commenced their investigations. The process of transferring case documents from local police to the NIA is currently underway.
The NIA’s involvement underscores the seriousness of the offences and the government’s commitment to bringing the perpetrators to justice.