HT Digital
IMPHAL, JUNE 21: In a major counterinsurgency drive, Assam Rifles and Manipur Police jointly arrested an active member of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN–K) Niki Sumi faction along the Assam–Manipur border. The arrest, made on Friday, was confirmed on Saturday by officials.
As per reports, the person arrested—Gaisinglung Meiringmei alias Ronald—is 46 years old and a resident of Manipur’s Noney district in Mukti Samjang village. He was purportedly indulging in activities of kidnapping for ransom and extortion, especially against civilians who were plying along National Highway 37, which is the important route linking Imphal with Silchar through Jiribam.
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Based on certain intelligence inputs, the combined forces acted quickly to arrest the accused. The two mobile phones, a power bank, and a side bag were recovered from his possession during the operation. Following proper legal formalities, the arrested person and the recovered items were handed over to the Jiribam police station for further investigation.
Police sources added that the arrest and the character of the suspect’s activities are a violation of ceasefire ground rules between the Government of India and the NSCN (K) Niki Group. The initial ceasefire was executed on September 8, 2021, and is valid until September 1, 2025.
The Niki faction of the NSCN (K) is headed by Niki Sumi, a veteran military adviser to the NSCN(K) and close aide to the late S.S. Khaplang, the group’s former leader. Sumi hails from the Sema tribe and is best known for masterminding the fatal 2015 ambush in Manipur’s Chandel district that claimed the lives of 18 Indian Army soldiers. That attack was instrumental in the eventual collapse of the previous ceasefire agreement.
Characteristic of the game in India, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had previously put a ₹10 lakh reward for information against Niki Sumi, highlighting his value as a high-priority target in India’s counterinsurgency campaign.
