Manipur Govt hands over Saiton Nganukon bomb blast probe to NIA
Guwahati: The Manipur government on Tuesday handed over the investigation into the Saiton Nganukon serial bomb blast case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), a day after explosions injured two internally displaced persons.
According to the Manipur Police morning bulletin issued on Tuesday, the NIA will formally take over the case from the Manipur Police and examine all aspects of the incident, including the materials used in the blasts and possible external linkages. Earlier, teams from the Manipur Police and the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) collected samples and other evidence from the site.
The President’s Rule–imposed Manipur government has taken prompt steps after several organisations urged the authorities to coordinate efforts to determine the cause and source of the explosives. The voluntary outfits, while strongly condemning the blasts and blaming Kuki militants, have called upon people to stage mass sit-in protests at their respective localities on January 6, 2026, against what they termed the government’s failure to protect innocent citizens.
Police said that on Monday morning, an IED exploded at Nganukon Ward No. 7/8 under Phougakchao Ikhai police station in Bishnupur district, inside a house that has remained unoccupied since May 3, 2023.
Another IED explosion occurred in the nearby Saiton Nganukon Ward No. 8, under the same police station, in which two civilians sustained injuries. The case has been forwarded to the National Investigation Agency for further investigation.
Senior police officers, including officials of the rank of Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Superintendent of Police of Bishnupur district, visited the blast sites to assess the situation.
Security forces are carrying out combing and search operations in adjoining areas and have strengthened security to prevent any further escalation of violence.
Investigation and operational efforts are underway to identify and apprehend those responsible for the blasts.
Meanwhile, the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) strongly condemned the bomb explosions, describing the incidents as a serious threat to peace, public safety, and communal harmony.
In a statement issued by its Information and Publicity Wing, the council said, “Any violation of the buffer zone undermines the efforts of security forces and fuels fear, mistrust, and insecurity among the general public.”
The organisations that called for the mass sit-in protests include the Coordination Committee on Manipur’s Integrity (COCOMI), the Indigenous People’s Organisation Manipur (IPOM), and other associated groups such as the World Meetei Organisation (WMO), Yelhoumi Kanba Lup (YEMKAL), Anouba Senmitlon, Meetei Pangal Council Manipur (MPCM), PALEM, AMSU, and UPACO.
Officials said Saiton village, located about 55 km from Imphal along the Bishnupur–Churachandpur inter-district border, has remained tense since the incident.