The National Investigation Agency is likely to take over the case of militant ambush in Manipur last week that killed an Assam Rifles Colonel, his wife, son and four other riflemen, top government sources told CNN-News18.
The case has multiple dimensions and is likely to be handed over to the central agency for investigation, and deliberations are ongoing in the matter, the sources said. They said the case is not just limited to Northeastern states but has possible international links, as well.
Case formalities in the matter are likely to be completed soon, the sources said, adding that the Centre has reason to believe the attack was supported by China.
CNN-News18 had earlier reported according to well-placed intelligence sources, that members of the separatist militant outfit PLA were suspected to be trained by the Chinese army in Myanmar camps with the possibility of weapons also being supplied to them. The sources had added that intel agencies had captured drone video footage of camps next to the Manipur border. Top leaders of the Chinese army are suspected to be present at these camps, the sources had said.
Two militant groups — the People’s Liberation Army and the Manipur Naga People’s Front — had earlier jointly claimed responsibility for the attack carried out on Saturday in Manipur’s Churachandpur district near the border with Myanmar.
Insurgent leaders have also pointed to the Myanmar coup as a possible reason behind the attack, with it causing a revival of insurgent activity in the area.
In one of the deadliest extremist attacks in recent times in northeast India, militants had gunned down an Assam Rifles Colonel, his family members and four jawans in Manipur’s Churachandpur district along Myanmar border on November 12.
The police said the incident took place at around 11 am near Sehken village, as the heavily armed suspected People’s Liberation Army (PLA) militants fired upon the convoy of Assam Rifles Colonel Viplav Tripathi, killing him, his wife, their 9-year-old son, three Quick Reaction Team (QRT) jawans and the driver on the spot.
The militants attacked the convoy when the Colonel of the 46 Battalion of Assam Rifles along with his family members was going to supervise a civic action programme in Churachandpur bordering Myanmar, which shares around 400 km unfenced border with Manipur.
For the first time, the militants in the northeast killed the family members of a security force official. The location is an extremely remote village more than 130 km north of state capital Imphal.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee, Director General of Assam Rifles Lt Gen P.C. Nair and many other people had strongly condemned the attack.
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