The National Investigation Agency or NIA has unveiled startling revelations in a recent chargesheet, exposing the alleged involvement of the Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland or NSCN-IM in aiding banned outfits.
According to the chargesheet filed in a Guwahati court on March 7 against five accused individuals apprehended last July in Manipur, the “China-Myanmar module” of NSCN-IM purportedly provided support to facilitate the infiltration of these outlawed groups into Bharat. The aim, as per NIA’s findings, was to capitalise on the prevailing ethnic tensions in Manipur, ultimately with the larger objective of destabilising the State and launching a campaign against the Indian Government.
The accused, alleged to have conspired to orchestrate violent terror attacks targeting the Kuki-Zo community using prohibited arms and ammunition, were identified as M Anand Singh (44), A Kajit Singh, Keisham Johnson, L Michael Mangangcha, and K Romojit Meitei. Their arrest by Manipur Police last July occurred under suspicious circumstances, as they were found travelling in attire resembling military uniforms.
The NSCN-IM, which inked a ceasefire agreement with the Indian Government in 1997 and engaged in a framework agreement for a political resolution in 2015 under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has long advocated for the establishment of a ‘Greater Nagaland’, encompassing Naga-dominated regions across Nagaland, Assam, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh.
Three weapons and ammunition, reportedly looted from police armouries, were seized from their possession. Promptly, the NIA initiated a fresh investigation on July 19, invoking the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and other relevant statutes to delve into the broader conspiracy.
According to the NIA, Anand Singh orchestrated the mobilisation of local youth for armed training, a move intended to exacerbate ethnic tensions. In July 2023, Singh allegedly partook in a weapons training camp at the Selloi Langamai Ecological Park near Keikhu, organised by PLA cadres, where approximately 80-90 young men underwent firearms training. The NIA’s statement outlined, “Singh assisted in providing training on battle drills and jungle warfare to the participating youth.”
The agency asserted that the accused were complicit in a criminal conspiracy aimed at executing violent terror attacks against the rival Kuki-Zo community, utilising arms and ammunition purportedly looted from various government sources. Highlighting the deliberate intent behind targeting the opposing community, the NIA stated the accused wore camouflage attire “to evade detection by security personnel.”
Furthermore, the NIA asserted that the accused knowingly flouted prohibitory orders issued by the district administration, with the aim to “sow seeds of hatred and enmity among communities, escalate ongoing ethnic tensions, disrupt peace and tranquillity, and pose a threat to the unity, integrity, and sovereignty of the country”.
Since May 3, 2023, Manipur has been engulfed in ethnic violence, pitting the tribal Kuki-Zo population against the Meitei community. The toll stands at a staggering 221 lives lost, with over 50,000 individuals displaced by the unrest. Amid the chaos, more than 4,500 weapons were reported looted from police arsenals, though efforts have led to the recovery of approximately 1,800 firearms thus far.
In a concerning development, the Central agency disclosed that the “China-Myanmar” faction of the NSCN-IM, operating from Myanmar, opted to provide assistance to banned terrorist groups such as the Kanglei Yaol Kanba Lup or KYKL and the People’s Liberation Army of Manipur or PLAM. Their objective: to facilitate the infiltration of their members into Indian territory, with the sinister aim of orchestrating terrorist attacks.
“For this purpose, NSCN-IM promised a safe passage to Manipur-based terrorist outfits and proscribed organisations along with arms, ammunition, explosives and other hardware. In addition, these outfits have also been tasked to identify, recruit and train impressionable youths and get them involved in the ongoing violence with the larger goal of destabilising the security situation in Manipur and to further wage a war against the Indian Government,” added the NIA.
