Overview

• The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested Nongthombam Meiraba and Sagolsem Sanatomba, members of banned militant groups UNLF and KYKL, for their involvement in a November 2024 attack in Zairawn village, Jiribam district, Manipur.
• The attack resulted in the brutal killing of a 31-year-old tribal woman, Zosangkim, who was shot, tortured, and set on fire; her body suffered 99% burns and severe mutilation, as per the autopsy report.
• The suspects are accused of participating in the killing, looting, and burning of homes during the attack, which was part of ongoing ethnic violence in the region.
• The arrests come as part of a broader federal investigation into ethnic violence in Manipur that has claimed over 260 lives and displaced thousands since May 2023.
• The suspects are in NIA custody until May 17, 2025, as investigations continue under the central government's oversight following the imposition of President’s Rule in February 2025.