The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested a key accused in connection with the 2023 killing of Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Chingtham Anandakumar Singh during an armed attack in Manipur’s Moreh, the agency said on Friday.
According to an official statement, the accused, identified as Otkhothang Baite alias Othang Baite, a resident of Moreh in Tengnoupal district, was part of a conspiracy behind the attack on a district police team at a playground.
The incident took place on October 31, 2023, at the height of ethnic tensions between the Meitei and Kuki communities, when suspected Kuki militants allegedly opened fire on the police team.
Singh, the SDPO of Moreh, sustained a bullet injury to his stomach during the attack and later succumbed to his injuries.
The NIA said its investigation has revealed that the conspiracy was aimed at spreading terror in the region amid the prevailing unrest.
The case was initially registered by the Moreh police before being taken over by the NIA in March 2024 as part of a wider probe into violence linked to the ethnic conflict.
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Earlier this month, the agency had arrested another accused, Kamginthang Gangte, in connection with the same case, indicating progress in identifying those allegedly involved in the attack.
The killing of the police officer had triggered widespread protests across the Meitei-dominated valley, with demonstrators demanding swift action against those responsible for the attack.
The arrest is part of the agency’s continuing efforts to investigate incidents linked to the ethnic violence that has affected Manipur since 2023, with multiple cases being examined for possible terror links and organised militant involvement.
Shutdown in Tengnoupal over arrest of Kuki-Zo leader
Tension escalated in Manipur’s Tengnoupal district on May 1 after several Kuki-Zo civil society organisations enforced a dawn-to-dusk shutdown to protest the arrest of a local social leader. (Word count: 148)
A conglomerate of groups, including the Kuki Chiefs’ Association, Molnoi Area Welfare Council, Hill Tribal Council, Kuki Students’ Organisation, and Kuki Women Union and Human Rights, called for a “total shutdown” from 5 am to 5 pm, disrupting normal life across the district.
The protest followed the arrest of Otkhothang Baite, a former chairman of Canan Veng and HTC Unit-XI, who was taken into custody on April 30.
In a joint statement, the organisations described Baite as a “dedicated and honest social leader” and alleged that his arrest was based on “unjustified inputs and FIRs”.
They demanded his immediate release and criticised the state police, warning that such actions could further aggravate tensions in the region.
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