Guwahati: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) will probe the alleged smuggling of arms and explosives to the People’s Defense Force (PDF), an arm of Myanmar’s exiled National Unity Government (NUG), said a report in The Hindustan Times.
The probe agency is “looking at cross-border linkages” while also probing the role of northeast-based Indian insurgents in facilitating such smuggling, they added.
This investigation follows months after a team of Assam Rifles recovered around 120 boxes of gelatin sticks, four boxes of safety fuses having range of 2,000 metres, four boxes each of 25kg of gunpowder, eight unlicensed non-prohibited bore (NPB) arms, three 12-gauge Stallion shotguns, and 20 boxes of Czech-made .177 pellets after intercepting two mini-trucks in Kulikawn police station area in Aizawl.
Four persons, Lalbiaktluanga, Zoremsanga, Laldinpuia and Lalruattluanga, all residents of Aizawl, were detained for questioning.
An investigation by local police in July revealed that the consignment was meant for the PDF. The Union home ministry directed the NIA to take over the probe to ascertain “cross border links” and its repercussions on “national security”, one of the officials on condition of anonymity told The Hindustan Times.
Another officer, also on condition of anonymity, said “pilferage from gelatin sticks’ stocks meant for government infrastructure projects is thoroughly being checked”. Its purported sale by northeast-based insurgent groups is also under the scanner.
The NIA had raided locations in Aizawl, Champai and Kolasib districts of Mizoram in June, in connection with another case of recovery of 2,421.12 kg of explosives, including 1,000 detonators, 4,500 metres of detonating fuse and Indian and Myanmarese currency from a vehicle in Zawnling area under Tipa Police Station.
“This consignment was meant for Myanmar-based outfit Chin National Front (CNF), who are in the process of accumulating arms and ammunition for resisting the Government of Myanmar,” the NIA said in a statement on June 24.
Myanmar’s military took power in a coup on February 1 last year after complaining of fraud in a November 2020 general election won by democracy champion Aung San Suu Kyi’s party.
Mizoram shares the border with Myanmar at Chin state, and people of common ethnicities live on both sides of the border. Since March 2021, thousands of refugees from the Chin state have crossed over the border into Mizoram.
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