In a major breakthrough on Thursday, 31st of July, the National Investigation Agency(NIA) arrested the main accused in Jiribam massacre in Manipur where 6 members of a Meitei family were murdered brutally. The arrested has been identified as Thanglienlal Hmar(40). He was arrested from Lakhipur area of Cachar district of Assam.

According to the sources, acting on the specific NIA input, Lakhipur Additional SP Prithviraj Rajkhowa, along with a police team intercepted Thanglienlal’s boat in Fulertal ferry Ghat and arrested him. He was brought to Lakhipur Police Station where an NIA team reached shortly after. Following preliminary interrogation, Thanglienlal was taken to Jiribam. He has been booked under NIA Case No. RC- 15/2024/NIA/IMP, which pertains to the abduction and murder of six Meitei women and children in Jiribam on November 11, 2024.

According to the NIA sources, investigations have revealed that Thanglienlal was actively involved in the conspiracy and execution of the heinous crime. On that day, six members of the Meitei family including an infant, were abducted from the Bokobera village of Jiribam, Manipur and later murdered. A few days later, their mutilated bodies were found floating in the Barak river.

The victims of the Jiribam massacre were Yurembam Rani Devi(60), Telam Thobi Devi(31), Telam Thajamanbi Devi(8), Laishram Chingkheinganba Singh(2.5) Laishram Langamba(8 months). They were abducted from near a refugee camp. Later, their bodies were recovered from the Barak river.

Sources said that the NIA investigation into the Jiribam massacre continues and more arrests may occur in the coming days.