CBI files chargesheet against 7 in Manipur armoury loot case

New Delhi, March 3

The CBI has filed a chargesheet in an Assam court against seven persons accused in a case related to the loot of arms and ammunition from the 2nd Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) campus’ armoury, Narenseina, in Manipur’s Bishnupur district on August 3, 2023.

300 arms were taken in Aug 2023

• Armed miscreants stormed into the 2nd Indian Reserve Battalion armoury at Narenseina in Manipur’s Bishnupur district on August 3, 2023
• They looted around 300 arms, 19,800 rounds of ammunition and other accessories from the campus

The agency registered a case on August 24, 2023, and took over the investigation from the local police. The chargesheet has been submitted in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kamrup (Metro), Guwahati (Assam).

According to the FIR, armed miscreants and individuals looted around 300 arms, 19,800 rounds of ammunition and other accessories from the campus of the IRB, Manipur.

The accused have been identified as Laishram Prem Singh, Khumukcham Dhiren (aka Thapkpa), Moirangthem Anand Singh, Athokpam Kajit (aka Kishorjit), Loukrakpam Michael Mangangcha (aka Michael), Konthoujam Romojit Meitei (aka Romojit) and Keisham Johnson (aka Johnson). Further investigation against other suspects involved in the incident was on, sources said.

Barring Laishram Prem Singh and Khumukcham Dhiren, the remaining five have been earlier chargesheeted by the CBI in looting of the police armoury at the Manipur Police Training Centre (MPTC) at Pangei in Imphal.

That incident took place on May 4 last year, the day ethnic clashes between the majority Metei community and tribal Kukis broke out in the northeast state. As alleged in the FIR, a mob stormed into the MPTC complex and looted a huge number of arms and ammunition from the armoury.