Manipur tribe body seeks ‘impartial’ NIA probe in killing of three church leaders

The Thadou Inpi Manipur (TIM), the apex body of the Manipur’s Thadou community, has demanded an independent, impartial, and time-bound investigation into the killing of three church leaders on May 13, that triggered a chain of abductions and more deaths.

The three Thadou Baptist Association India (TBAI) leaders—Vumthang Sitlhou, Kaigoulun Lhouvum, and Paogoulen Sitlhou—were killed when unidentified gunmen ambushed their vehicles on a village road in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district.

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In a statement on Friday (September 4, 2026), the TIM resented the sloth in the probe into the killing despite the Manipur government having handed the case over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). It said the lack of publicly known arrests has raised concerns about the progress, transparency, and credibility of the investigation and urged the NIA to clarify the status of the probe, within the limits permitted in an ongoing investigation.

‘Selective nature should be examined’

The TIM said the attack took place in an area where Kuki extremist groups, including the Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA) and Kuki National Front (KNF), are reported to have a significant presence. It specifically referred to an alleged KRA “tax collection gate” on the road near the incident site.

Insisting that it did not seek to prejudge the "guilt of any individual or organisation”, the TIM urged the NIA to probe whether any extremist cadres, commanders, intelligence networks or associations had prior knowledge of the victims’ movement, provided information that facilitated the attack, or subsequently helped conceal evidence or obstruct the investigation.

The organisation also pointed to the “selective nature” of the attack and said that The TIM said this aspect should be examined to determine whether the victims were specifically identified because of their Thadou identity and association with the TBAI.

TIM noted that the two vehicles carrying the slain church leaders had “clearly visible TBAI markings”, while vehicles moving ahead of and behind them, reportedly carrying Kukis, were not attacked.

The TIM further said it had formally requested the NIA to identify the victims as “Thadou”, but the agency continued to identify or describe them as “Kuki” or “Kuki-Zo”.

A section of the Thadous has been insisting that the community is not a constituent of the Kuki group. Most indigenous communities in Manipur consider a majority of Kukis to be settlers from Myanmar.