Manipur Violence: Suspected militants kill three church leaders in Kangpokpi

SUSPECTED militants shot three church leaders dead and injured four others in Kangpokpi district, while a civilian was gunned down and his wife wounded in Noney district of Manipur officials said on 13 May.

The Kangpokpi incident happened in the morning hours of 13 May at a place between Kotzim and Kotlen villages when members of the Thadou Baptist Association (TBA) were returning from Churachandpur after attending a religious congregation, news agency PTI said.

The second incident occurred at a place between Jouzangtek and Nungsai villages in Noney district around 8 pm.

After the Kangpokpi ambush, Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh said that such "senseless acts of violence" against innocent civilians threaten peace in Manipur which has been rocked by ethnic violence since 2023.

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India expressed grief over the killing and appealed to all communities to shun violence and retaliation. In a statement, the CBCI said two vehicles carrying leaders of the Thadou Baptist Association (TBA) were ambushed between Kotzim and Kotlen villages on May 13, leaving several people dead and others injured.

Shutdown in Kangpokpi

Following the killings, a total shutdown was imposed in Kangpokpi district where Kukis are in the majority. A forum of Naga legislators and a Kuki organisation also deplored the killings, while a Meitei group rejected allegations from some quarters that it was behind the ambush.

Police said suspected militants ambushed the two vehicles in which the church leaders were travelling.

Among those killed was Reverend V Sitlhour, a former general secretary of the Manipur Baptist Convention. The other two deceased were identified as Reverend Kaigoulen and Pastor Paogoulen, they said.

Chief Minister Khemchand Singh said three of those injured were admitted to the Shija Hospitals and Research Institute in Imphal. He, along with Deputy Chief Minister Losii Dikho, Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam, visited the injured in the hospital.

"The state government will bear all medical expenses for the injured, and I have directed the authorities to ensure they receive the highest standard of care," Singh said in a statement.

"This act of violence is deeply troubling and devastating not only for the families but for the entire state, as it disrupts our path to peace. Our state is gradually moving towards peace; therefore, actions that undermine this collective effort of our people to restore normalcy are unacceptable," he said.

Stressing that there is no justification in any society for acts of terrorism, the CM said the people of the entire state stand together against such an act of terror.

"Our resolve to fight against terrorism is unshakable," he said and appealed to all sections of society to uphold peace, show restraint and refrain from emotional responses.

Kangpokpi had witnessed violence in January last year when protest rally organised by the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) turned violent after protesters allegedly attacked the office of the Superintendent of Police of the district.

"Further, I urged people to immediately stop abductions, taking hostages, and intimidation on community lines. This can only aggravate the situation. I assure the people that we will use every resource of the state to bring the perpetrators and their handlers to justice," he said.

Meghalaya, Mizoram CMs condemn

Chief ministers of Meghalaya and Mizoram condemned the killing terming the attack a "senseless act of violence" and calling for immediate action to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Mizoram's main opposition, the Mizo National Front (MNF), also deplored the killing in the neighbouring state's Kangpokpi district and demanded strict punishment for the culprits.

Both Meghalaya and Mizoram are Christian-majority states in the Northeastern region.

In a statement in Shillong, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said, "The victims, who were respected members of the Kuki Baptist community and associated with the Manipur Baptist Convention and the Kuki Church Leaders Forum, devoted their lives to spiritual guidance, peace building, and service to humanity."

Sangma said that the brutal and cowardly killing was deeply disturbing and utterly unacceptable in any civilised society.

Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma expressed deep sorrow over the killing of the church leaders.

"Deeply saddened and anguished by the brutal killing of Kuki Church leaders in Manipur. Such heinous violence is utterly condemnable and unacceptable," he said in a post on X.

‘Act of cold-blooded murder’

The Naga Legislatures Forum, consisting of nine MLAs from the Naga community in Manipur, said in a statement, "This act of cold-blooded murder of an unarmed and peace-loving religious leader is unacceptable, and we urge the law enforcement agencies to trace and book the culprits at the earliest."

Meitei organisation Arambai Tenggol denied any role in the ambush. In a statement, it termed the accusations of its involvement as “baseless and politically motivated.”

Kuki Inpi Manipur, the apex body of the Kuki tribe in the state, also condemned the incident.

"Rev V Sitlhou is a respected Church leader and peacemaker who had only recently led the peace mission alongside the Nagaland Joint Christian Forum (NJCF) in Kohima to foster peace, reconciliation, and mutual understanding between the Kuki-Zo and Tangkhul communities," it said.

This act of violence is deeply troubling and devastating not only for the families but for the entire state, as it disrupts our path to peace.

The Zomi Students' Federation – General Headquarters condemned the attack on church leaders and civilians and declared a shutdown in the town areas from 6 pm onward until further notice.

Manipur witnessed the killing of at least 260 people and the displacement of thousands in violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities since May 2023.