Asem Bhakta
Special Correspondent North East
Imphal/New Delhi: (Waari Singbul Network ) In a startling revelation that further unmasks the sinister forces behind the protracted ethnic violence in Manipur, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a second supplementary chargesheet implicating three individuals from Mizoram in the trafficking and supply of illegal arms and explosives to insurgents operating in the region.
The NIA, in its press release on Monday, named Vanlaldailova, Lalmuanpuia, and Lalrinchhunga alias Albert—all residents of Mizoram—as key facilitators in a weapons smuggling ring that has contributed to the destabilisation of Manipur since the outbreak of ethnic strife in May 2023.
The three accused were arrested on 6 December 2024, after a cache of arms, ammunition, and explosive materials was recovered from their homes during coordinated raids. According to the agency’s investigation, these individuals played a pivotal role in arming insurgent groups, thereby aggravating the violence and endangering national security.
The NIA chargesheet establishes that Vanlaldailova, a licensed arms dealer running M/s Israel Arms & Ammunition in Serchhip, Mizoram, colluded with co-accused Lalngaihawma and Lalmuanawma to illegally procure and supply weapons. He allegedly abused his official dealership to channel arms across state borders, including into violence-torn areas of Manipur.
His co-accused, Lalmuanpuia and Lalrinchhunga, were reportedly active cogs in the trafficking machinery—facilitating procurement, logistics, and even the illegal manufacture and repair of firearms. Investigators say they were well aware that the arms were destined for insurgent groups operating in the volatile northeastern corridor, particularly Manipur, with the express aim of fuelling armed unrest.
This case, registered as RC-31/2023/NIA/DLI, was taken up by the NIA in December 2023 after credible intelligence pointed to a vast arms distribution network spanning Mizoram, Manipur, and even reaching Delhi. The main chargesheet was filed in July 2024 against Lalngaihawma, followed by a supplementary one against Solomona in November. The second supplementary chargesheet filed on Monday before the NIA Special Court at Patiala House Courts, New Delhi, formalises the agency’s findings against the three latest accused.
The trio has been charged under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Arms Act, 1959, the Explosive Substances Act, 1908, and the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
The revelations come at a time when Manipur continues to reel under the aftershocks of ethnic conflict, which has not only cost human lives and displaced thousands but has also shaken the very foundation of peace and coexistence in the northeastern state. While various peace initiatives are underway, the NIA’s findings highlight the deep-rooted and sustained attempts by external elements to keep the conflict alive through the strategic infusion of arms and ideology.
The NIA has reiterated that investigations in the case are ongoing, and more disclosures are expected in the coming months as the agency continues to dismantle the network behind one of the most significant security challenges facing India’s northeast.
