NIA Arrests Second Accused in Manipur’s Tronglaobi IED Attack
Thangmang Haokip was arrested on September 25 and remanded to 12 days’ police custody; NIA says the investigation is continuing to identify others allegedly involved.
IMPHAL- The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested a second accused in connection with the April 7 IED attack at Tronglaobi Awang Leikai in Manipur’s Bishnupur district, in which two minor children were killed and another person was injured.
The accused has been identified as 48-year-old Thangmang Haokip, a resident of Churachandpur district. According to the NIA, he was arrested on September 25 and subsequently produced before the Special NIA Court-II in Imphal, which remanded him to 12 days of police custody.
The NIA’s official case record identifies the matter as RC-04/2026/NIA/IMP and states that an explosive or bomb was launched from the hillside of Gelmol towards Tronglaobi Awang Leikai on April 7, striking the residential wall of a house in Ward No. 4.
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The case was initially registered at Moirang Police Station following the attack on the residential property.
According to the case details, the explosive struck the wall of the house, seriously injuring three members of the family. Two of them, both minor children, subsequently succumbed to their injuries.
An unexploded improvised RPG was also recovered near the site, according to the case details provided by the NIA.
Haokip is the second person to be arrested in connection with the case.
The first accused, S Palal Thadou Kuki, was arrested on August 12 and is currently in judicial custody, according to the NIA.
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The agency subsequently re-registered the case on April 23 under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Explosive Substances Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
The NIA said Haokip’s alleged involvement emerged during the course of its investigation.
The agency said its investigation remains underway and is focused on identifying and apprehending other persons allegedly involved in the conspiracy.
It is also examining the larger network behind the attack, according to the agency.
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The NIA’s official case listing confirms that RC-04/2026/NIA/IMP relates to the April 7 incident involving the launching of an explosive from the Gelmol hillside towards Tronglaobi Awang Leikai.
The arrests and ongoing investigation are part of the agency’s effort to establish the circumstances surrounding the attack, identify all persons allegedly involved and determine the wider links, if any, connected to the incident.
