Manipur tribe body seeks ‘impartial’ NIA probe in killing of three church leaders
The Thadou Inpi Manipur resents the sloth in the probe and says the lack of publicly known arrests has raised concerns about the transparency and credibility of the investigation
The Thadou Inpi Manipur (TIM), the leading organization representing the Thadou community in Manipur, has called for a thorough and impartial investigation into the killing of three church leaders on May 13. The victims were members of the Thadou Baptist Association India (TBAI)—Vumthang Sitlhou, Kaigoulun Lhouvum, and Paogoulen Sitlhou—when they were ambushed by unidentified gunmen while traveling on a road in Kangpokpi district, Manipur.
The TIM expressed frustration with the slow progress of the investigation, despite the Manipur government having transferred the case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The community body urged the NIA to provide updates on the status of the probe and investigate possible involvement of extremist groups like the Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA) and Kuki National Front (KNF) in the attack.
The TIM emphasized that it did not seek to accuse anyone but requested the NIA to consider whether the victims were targeted due to their Thadou identity and affiliation with the TBAI. The organization also noted that the victims' vehicles, which bore visible TBAI markings, were specifically targeted, unlike other vehicles passing by.
The TIM formally asked the NIA to identify the victims as "Thadou," but the agency still referred to them as "Kuki" or "Kuki-Zo," despite local communities in Manipur considering most Kukis to be settlers from Myanmar.
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