Kerala Police were reportedly kept out of the loop as the NIA conducted the arrest independently, a common practice in terror-related cases amid intensified crackdowns ahead of Manipur conflict anniversary
Published May 18, 2025 | 8:43 PM ⚊ Updated May 18, 2025 | 8:43 PM
Clashes in Manipur. (Twitter)
Synopsis: The NIA has arrested 21-year-old Rajkumar Mypaksana from Manipur in connection with the state’s ongoing ethnic violence. He was working at a Thalassery hotel in Kerala and was tracked to a rented house in Manjodi, Thiruvangad, following days of surveillance. The arrest highlights possible militant links amid continuing tensions in Manipur
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested a 21-year-old youth from Manipur, Rajkumar Mypaksana, in connection with a case linked to the ongoing ethnic violence in the northeastern state.
Rajkumar, a resident of Imphal, was picked up from a hotel in Thalassery, where he had recently joined as housekeeping staff.
The arrest followed days of covert surveillance by the NIA, which traced him to a rented residence in Manjodi, Thiruvangad.
Sources said the agency verified his identity by posing as health officials conducting routine monsoon inspections. Rajkumar was identified through his Aadhaar card and a distinctive neck tattoo.
According to officials, Rajkumar is a trained cadre of the banned militant organisation United National Liberation Front (UNLF) and was found in possession of a forged passport.
Kerala Police were reportedly not alerted ahead of the NIA’s operation, which was conducted independently—a move not uncommon in high-sensitivity, terror-linked cases. With the second anniversary of the Manipur ethnic conflict approaching, central agencies have ramped up efforts to track individuals with alleged militant ties. Rajkumar’s arrest is seen as part of this broader crackdown on sleeper cells and hidden operatives.
Investigators are now broadening the probe to trace others who may have used similar escape routes or assumed false identities to flee Manipur. Further interrogations and digital forensic analysis are expected in the coming days.
(Edited by Ananya Rao with inputs from Dileep V Kumar)
