The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has made its first arrest in connection with an improvised explosive device (IED) attack on a residential house in Tronglaobi Awang Leikai in Moirang town, Manipur’s Bishnupur district, officials said on Wednesday.
The attack, which took place on April 7 this year, killed two minor children and injured another person, according to the agency.
The case was initially registered at Moirang police station after unidentified militants allegedly launched an explosive device from a hillside towards Tronglaobi Awang Leikai, the NIA said in a statement.
The explosion struck the wall of a residential house, seriously injuring three members of a family. Two minor children later succumbed to their injuries, it said.
An unexploded improvised rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) was also recovered near the site, according to the anti-terror agency.
The NIA subsequently took over the investigation and re-registered the case on April 23 under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Explosive Substances Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
During the investigation, the agency found the alleged involvement of S Palal Thadou in the attack.
Thadou had previously been arrested by Churachandpur and Bishnupur police in connection with separate cases, the NIA said.
“The NIA has arrested him as part of its efforts to unravel the larger conspiracy behind the terror act, making him the first accused to be arrested in the case,” the agency said.
Thadou was produced before the Special NIA Court in Imphal and remanded to 10 days’ police custody, it said.
The NIA said further investigation was under way to identify and apprehend other individuals allegedly involved in the conspiracy and establish the wider network behind the attack.
(With inputs from PTI)