Aizawl: The National Investigation Agency has arrested two student leaders belonging to the Kuki community from Manipur in Mizoram’s capital Aizawl, marking the second major operation by the central agency in the city within 24 hours. The arrests were confirmed by an official on Thursday, September 25, and come shortly after the high-profile detention of United Kuki National Army chief Thangkhomang Haokip. According to officials familiar with the development, the two student leaders were picked up from a hotel located in the Khatla area of Aizawl, a central locality of the city, and are currently in the custody of the NIA for further interrogation and legal procedures.
The detention of the two student leaders followed the earlier operation on the outskirts of Aizawl where the NIA, with active assistance from the Assam Rifles, apprehended Thangkhomang Haokip, who is the chief of the United Kuki National Army, along with his driver. Sources said both operations are linked and part of an ongoing investigation into cases registered in Manipur. The official confirmed that all four individuals – Haokip, his driver, and the two student leaders – are presently in NIA custody. However, the agency has not yet released a formal statement detailing the specific charges, case numbers, or the identity of the two student leaders who were arrested from the hotel.
Haokip, who heads the UKNA, is a wanted figure in connection with several cases registered in Manipur. The UKNA is one of the armed groups operating in the region, and its chief has been on the radar of central investigating agencies for a considerable period due to his alleged involvement in activities related to the ongoing conflict and other security-related incidents in Manipur. The NIA has been investigating multiple FIRs linked to violence, extortion, and unlawful activities in the state since the ethnic conflict broke out in May 2023, and the agency has intensified its operations in neighboring states including Mizoram, which shares close ethnic and geographical ties with Manipur’s hill districts and has seen an influx of displaced people.
The second operation that led to the arrest of the two student leaders was carried out at a hotel in Khatla, which is considered one of the busiest areas in Aizawl. According to preliminary information, the NIA team acted on specific intelligence inputs that the two individuals were staying in the hotel. The raid was conducted on Thursday, and the two were taken into custody without any reported resistance. Officials have not disclosed whether any incriminating materials, documents, or electronic devices were recovered from their possession during the hotel search, as the investigation is still at a preliminary stage and such details are typically not shared until a formal press release or chargesheet is filed.
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The involvement of the Assam Rifles in the first operation that led to Haokip’s arrest is significant, as the paramilitary force is extensively deployed along the border areas and in the buffer zones between the valley and hill districts of Manipur, as well as in Mizoram. The Assam Rifles has been playing a crucial role in maintaining law and order and assisting central agencies in counter-insurgency operations. The official also issued a clarification regarding media reports that had suggested the involvement of the Subsidiary Intelligence Bureau in these arrests. The official categorically stated that the SIB was not part of either operation and that the operations were conducted solely by the NIA with support from the Assam Rifles where required.
The arrests have created a stir in Aizawl and have drawn attention in Manipur as well, especially among student organizations and civil society groups. Student leaders from Manipur who are based in Aizawl often coordinate relief work for displaced people from the hill districts who have taken shelter in Mizoram since the outbreak of violence in 2023. Mizoram has hosted thousands of internally displaced persons from Manipur, and Aizawl has become a hub for various community organizations working for relief and advocacy. The detention of two student leaders in this context is likely to raise questions and concerns among community organizations, though the NIA has not yet linked their arrest to any relief or humanitarian work.
From a legal perspective, the NIA is empowered under the National Investigation Agency Act to investigate and prosecute offences affecting the sovereignty, security, and integrity of India, as well as other offences under various laws including the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. If the cases against Haokip and the two student leaders fall under these categories, the agency can seek their custodial remand from a special NIA court and proceed with further investigation. Typically, after such arrests, the individuals are produced before a designated court in the respective state or in New Delhi, and the agency seeks transit remand to take them to the place of investigation. The official said further details about their production in court and remand will be shared in due course.
As of now, the NIA has maintained confidentiality regarding the exact nature of the cases against the two student leaders. Unlike in Haokip’s case, where officials have confirmed his wanted status in several Manipur-related cases, the charges against the student leaders remain undisclosed. This has led to speculation, but officials have urged restraint and have asked that the investigation be allowed to proceed without premature conclusions. The agency is expected to release an official statement once the initial interrogation is completed and once it has established the alleged roles of the detained individuals. Meanwhile, security has been tightened in certain areas of Aizawl as a precautionary measure following the back-to-back operations.
