NIA Arrests Manipur Native in Kerala Linked To 2023 Ethnic Violence Probe

A 21-year-old man from Manipur, identified as Rajkumar Mypaksana, was apprehended by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Kerala’s Thalassery on Friday evening. The arrest is linked to an ongoing investigation into the ethnic violence that broke out in Manipur in 2023.

According to reports by The Hindu, Rajkumar was picked up around 5 p.m. while working as a housekeeping staffer at a local hotel. He had recently arrived in Thalassery after responding to a job listing circulated on social media.

The NIA tracked Rajkumar over several days, eventually launching an operation under the guise of routine monsoon health inspections. Officers posed as public health workers and conducted ID checks at workers’ hostels in the area. Rajkumar’s identity was confirmed through his Aadhaar card and a distinct tattoo on his neck.

Hailing from Imphal, Rajkumar is suspected to have undergone training with the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), an outlawed insurgent group. He is also reportedly linked to a case registered in Imphal under the broader scope of the Manipur riots probe.

Sources cited by PTI stated that Rajkumar did not resist arrest and quietly cooperated once he realized his identity had been discovered. A fake passport was recovered from his possession, which officials claim he attempted to use to leave the country via Tirur but failed.

The young man had arrived in Kerala roughly a month ago and is believed to have moved between multiple districts before settling in Manjodi, Thiruvangad. His fluency in Hindi and English helped him integrate with other northeastern workers, making him harder to detect.

Interestingly, Kerala Police were reportedly not informed about the NIA's operation in advance. The agency carried out the arrest independently, a move that has raised eyebrows but is not unprecedented in high-sensitivity terror-linked cases.

As the second anniversary of the Manipur ethnic conflict draws near, central agencies like the NIA have intensified their efforts to crack down on individuals allegedly tied to militant organisations. Rajkumar’s arrest is viewed as part of this larger crackdown on sleeper cells and potential threats spread across the country.

Investigators are now expanding their probe to identify others who may have used similar escape routes or cover identities to flee Manipur. Further interrogations and digital forensics are expected to follow.