NIA Arrests KCP‑PWG Operative in Manipur Ethnic Clashes Murder‑Abduction Case

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested a key cadre of the Kangleipak Communist Party–People’s War Group (KCP‑PWG) in connection with the high‑profile murder and abduction linked to the 2023 ethnic clashes in Manipur.

Operative Apprehended

Waikhom Rohit Singh, a resident of Thoubal Pakhangkhong Leirak in Thoubal district, was detained by an NIA team this week. He is accused of conspiring and executing the abduction and killing of community members during a violent outbreak in November 2023. Singh has been placed in judicial custody following the completion of his NIA remand.

Incident Overview

On the night of November 28, 2023, a CRPF naka team in Kangchup Chingkhong (Imphal West district) intercepted a Bolero SUV carrying five men from one of the state’s two rival communities. A mob from the opposing community then descended on the checkpoint, forcibly seizing four individuals. While one man escaped, the bodies of three were subsequently recovered from a nearby roadside.

NIA Investigation

The case, registered as RC‑07/2024/NIA/IMP, was transferred to the NIA in February 2024 on the directive of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Since taking over, the agency has uncovered evidence linking Singh to both the planning and execution phases of the crime, including the mobilization of local KCP‑PWG sympathizers.

Broader Security Context

The 2023 Manipur clashes, which erupted over long‑standing ethnic tensions between the Meitei and Kuki communities, left hundreds dead, thousands displaced, and significant damage to public infrastructure.