The Thadou Students’ Association has demanded an NIA probe into the killing of three church leaders in Kangpokpi, alleging bias and security failure.
Imphal, May 18: The Thadou Students’ Association (TSA) on Monday issued a strong statement accusing the Manipur government of negligence, bias and failure to act following the killing of three Thadou Baptist Church leaders in Kangpokpi district earlier this week.
In a media release issued from Imphal, the TSA referred to the May 13 ambush at Kotlen Kotzim Inter Village Road in Kangchup Geljang Sub-Division as a “terrorist attack” and demanded that the case be transferred to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for an impartial probe.
The association alleged that the state government had failed to make any substantive announcement or take visible action even several days after the incident. It also questioned the silence of senior political leaders, including Deputy Chief Ministers Nemcha Kipgen and Losii Dikho, who, according to the TSA, had close ties with the Thadou Baptist Association and the deceased church leaders.
The ambush claimed the life of Rev. Dr. Vumthang Sitlhou along with two other senior pastors. Five other church workers and leaders were reportedly injured in the attack.
The TSA alleged that ethnic divisions within the Manipur Police delayed the immediate response to the incident. It expressed gratitude to officers of the Assam Rifles, including Major Sahil Rishi and Captain Nando Babu, for rescuing the victims and evacuating the injured.
At the same time, the student body sharply criticised the functioning of the state police and called for the removal of the Director General of Police. It alleged that counter-insurgency personnel were being reduced to escort and evacuation duties instead of carrying out anti-militancy operations.
The organisation also accused the state government of selectively responding to incidents involving different communities. According to the TSA, the chief minister visited the victims but did not publicly identify them as Thadou church leaders. The release further alleged that organisations such as the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) and the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) similarly avoided identifying the victims as Thadou leaders.
The TSA claimed this reflected what it described as “appeasement politics” and alleged that sections of the government were shielding extremist elements. No evidence was presented in the release to substantiate those allegations.
The statement also raised concerns over the treatment of the injured survivors after surgery in Imphal. The TSA alleged that doctors at a private hospital were pressured to discharge the injured and shift them to Kangpokpi Civil Hospital a day after major surgery. It described the alleged transfer as inhuman and accused the government of restricting Thadou people from freely accessing treatment in Imphal.
The association referred to the Thadou-Meitei community understanding signed in August 2025 and argued that there had been no direct hostility between the two communities. It claimed that Thadou people were instead facing threats from “Kuki supremacist groups,” a phrase repeatedly used throughout the statement.
The TSA also alleged that some organisations attempted to pressure survivors into blaming Naga groups for the ambush. It demanded protection for survivors and called for an immediate halt to what it termed “forced interviews and narrative framing”.
A large section of the release focused on identity tensions between Thadou and Kuki groups. The TSA accused “Kuki supremacist organisations” of attempting to erase Thadou identity by subsuming the community under a broader Kuki political framework. It linked the latest killings to longstanding tensions surrounding ethnic identity, church leadership and language politics.
The association cited the earlier killing of Thadou leader Pu Nehkam Jomhao in Assam in 2025 and alleged that militant groups posed a continuing threat to the Thadou community. It further referred to efforts led by Rev. Dr. Vumthang Sitlhou and the Thadou Baptist Association to promote a separate Thadou Bible translation as part of a larger struggle over identity recognition.
At the same time, the TSA said the Thadou community had chosen restraint after the killings. It noted that the three deceased leaders were buried peacefully the day after the attack without protests or violence. The release claimed that church leaders resisted attempts to bury the victims at a “Kuki-Zo Martyrs Park” in Phaijang.
The association said the son of the late Rev. Dr. Vumthang Sitlhou publicly expressed forgiveness in accordance with Christian belief, while also demanding justice through the legal system.
Among its demands, the TSA called for an NIA investigation, round-the-clock protection for surviving victims and action against organisations allegedly involved in intimidation or misinformation. It also demanded public acknowledgment from Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh that the victims were targeted Thadou church leaders and sought an overhaul of the Manipur Police.
The state government had not issued any immediate response to the allegations made by the TSA at the time of filing this report.
