Moreh/New Delhi, April 30: Tension gripped the border town of Moreh in Manipur’s Tengnoupal district on Thursday after an emergency shutdown was imposed following the arrest of a village volunteer by security forces.
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| File photo of SDPO Chingtham Anandakumar Singh (top) who was killed in the 2023 attack in Moreh, and scenes of protests during the shutdown in Moreh, Tengnoupal district, following the NIA arrest of Otkhothang Baite in connection with the case. |
The shutdown was enforced by the Kuki Women Union & Human Rights (KWU&HR), Moreh Block, at around 3:05 PM in protest against what they described as the “unjust arrest” of the volunteer. Agitated women reportedly stormed the Moreh Police Station and attempted to secure the release of the detained individual.
The arrested person has been identified as Otkhothang Baite, also known as Othang Baite, a resident of Moreh.
However, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) issued a press release presenting a different account of the arrest. According to the NIA, Baite is a prime accused in the 2023 killing of Moreh Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Chingtham Anandakumar Singh.
The agency said Baite was allegedly involved in a conspiracy behind an attack by members of a suspected Kuki militant group on a district police team at a playground on October 31, 2023, during the peak of ethnic violence in Manipur. During the attack, SDPO Chingtham Anandakumar Singh was shot in the stomach and later succumbed to his injuries.
The case was initially registered by Moreh Police and later taken over by the NIA in March 2024. Investigators said the conspiracy aimed to create terror in the state.
Earlier this month, the anti-terror agency also arrested another accused, Kamginthang Gangte, in connection with the case.
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Meanwhile, protesting women in Moreh rejected the NIA’s allegations, claiming the agency was attempting to use Baite as a “scapegoat” for its alleged failure to identify the real perpetrators.
At the time of filing this report, the arrested individual had not been released and the agitation by local women was continuing. Authorities said the situation remained tense but no untoward incident had been reported so far.
The NIA stated that investigation in case RC-02/2024/NIA/IMP is ongoing.
