A joint team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and Manipur Police on Saturday, 18 July arrested two more accused from Kangpokpi district in connection with the abduction and killing of six Naga civilians, bringing the total number of accused apprehended in the case to four. The arrests mark a significant development in one of the most sensitive incidents tied to the ongoing ethnic unrest in Manipur's hill districts.

Who Was Arrested

The two newly arrested accused have been identified as Lungoulal Vaiphei and Lunminthang Sitlhou, alias Jack, both residents of Kangpokpi district. They were apprehended during a joint operation by the NIA, Manipur Police, and CRPF, according to a senior police official. Investigators said further efforts are under way to track down and arrest the remaining individuals allegedly involved in the case.

Earlier, on 10 July, the same joint team had arrested two other accused — Pradip and his wife Ayingbi, both residents of Leilon Vaiphei village in Kangpokpi district. All four are alleged to have been involved in the abduction and murder of the six Naga community members.

What Happened on May 13

The six Naga civilians were allegedly abducted on 13 May during a violent flare-up in Kangpokpi district in which three church leaders were killed and four others were injured. At least 50 people from both the Kuki and Naga communities were reportedly taken hostage by different armed groups across Kangpokpi and Senapati districts in the aftermath.

Around 30 individuals from both communities were released on 14 and 15 May following sustained efforts by authorities, community leaders, and civil society organisations. The remaining 14 Kuki villagers were released on 10 June and handed over to police in Senapati district by the United Naga Council (UNC) and the Naga People's Organisation (NPO).

The following day, 11 June, the bodies of the six Naga hostages were recovered from a forested area near Kharam Vaiphei village, a predominantly Kuki-Zo tribal settlement under the Saitu-Gamphazol Sub-Division of Kangpokpi district — nearly a month after they were allegedly abducted. The discovery triggered widespread protests, counter-economic blockades, and renewed tensions between the Naga and Kuki-Zo communities across parts of Manipur.

Kuki-Zo Council Apology and Naga Rejection

Acknowledging the killings, the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC), the apex body of the Kuki-Zo communities, recently issued an apology and called for a fair, transparent, and impartial investigation into all acts of violence linked to the ethnic unrest. KZC Chairman Henlianthang Thanglet, addressing the media at Churachandpur district headquarters alongside three other KZC leaders, admitted that members of the Kuki-Zo community had committed a 'grave mistake' by killing the six Naga civilians, stating the act was carried out 'out of emotion'.

However, several Naga organisations, including the All Naga Students' Association, Manipur (ANSAM), rejected the apology as 'insincere' and demanded the immediate arrest and prosecution of all those responsible for the killings.

Government Response and NIA Probe

Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh had earlier announced that the cases relating to the abduction and killing of the six Naga villagers, along with the murder of the three church leaders in Kangpokpi on 13 May, had been handed over to the NIA for a comprehensive investigation. The Chief Minister reiterated last week that his government is taking all necessary steps to ensure justice in the case. The latest arrests are expected to provide a significant breakthrough as investigators continue to pursue the remaining accused.