Assam: NIA arrests key accused in Jiribam killings of 6 Meiteis including infant

The National Investigation Agency (NIA), along with Cachar police, has arrested Thanglienlal Hmar alias Boya, a resident of Moinathol village in Dilkhosh Grant, Cachar, Assam, in connection with the brutal killings of six Meitei individuals, including an infant, that took place last year in Jiribam district of Manipur.

According to SSP Cachar Numal Mahatta, Thanglienlal Hmar played a critical logistical role in the abduction and subsequent murder of the victims. 

Acting on credible intelligence, the NIA conducted raids and apprehended Hmar, who had been on the agency's radar for his alleged involvement in the coordinated attack.

Investigations reveal that Hmar transported six abducted persons — three women and three children — along with three armed assailants dressed in camouflage gear from Jakuradhar Ghat to Kaisalpunjee village Ghat using his boat. 

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The victims were later found killed, a crime that sparked widespread outrage and added to the volatile ethnic tensions in the region.

Earlier on July 29, the Manipur High Court has issued a final one-month extension to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to file a chargesheet in the Jiribam killings case, warning that any further delay will be taken seriously.

The case, involving the abduction and murder of six people — including three minors — in November 2024, has remained unresolved for over eight months, drawing widespread public concern.

The decision came during a hearing on Public Interest Litigation (PIL) No. 18 of 2024, which was clubbed with Miscellaneous Case (PIL) No. 28 of 2025. The petitioners, including Soram Tikendrajit, sought court-supervised progress in the high-profile investigation.

A division bench of Chief Justice Kempaiah Somashekar and Justice Ahantham Bimol Singh described the incident as "grave and shocking." The NIA submitted two sealed cover reports outlining the current state of the probe. The documents have been ordered to be kept in the custody of the Registrar General until further direction.

 

The arrest is seen as a significant breakthrough in the case and underscores the NIA’s and Cachar police's continuing efforts to bring justice to the families of the victims. More arrests in connection with the case are expected as the investigation progresses.