NIA takes over Manipur ambush probe
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has registered a case to investigate the May 13 ambush in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district, in which three church leaders were killed and four others injured, officials said on Wednesday. The MHA ordered the move, citing the gravity of the offence, its national ramifications, and the need to unearth a possible larger conspiracy behind the attack on civilians.
According to the NIA’s FIR dated June 8, suspected armed miscreants ambushed two vehicles carrying members of the Thadou Baptist Association of India (TBAI) at Zero Point, between Kotzim and Kotlen (also referred to as Kotlen and Kotzim) villages in the hilly Tiger Road area, while the group was returning from Churachandpur to Kangpokpi after attending a religious congregation.
The deceased, all from the Kuki community, have been identified as TBAI president Rev Dr Vumthang Sitlhou (also former General Secretary of the Manipur Baptist Convention), TBAI finance secretary Rev Kaigoulun Lhouvum, and Pastor Paogoulen Sitlhou. Four other occupants sustained bullet injuries in the attack, which occurred around 10 am and involved automatic weapons fired by around 10 armed men.
The Manipur Police had already registered a case on the day of the incident. The NIA’s takeover comes amid demands from community organisations for a central agency probe into the targeted killing of prominent Christian leaders returning from a peace and reconciliation conference, or a Baptist convention, aimed at easing inter-community tensions.
In its order to the NIA, the Ministry stated that the case involved “ambush by armed miscreants to cause damage to the life and property of civilians and to create fear and terror in the society.” It emphasised the gravity of the offence, its national ramifications, and the imperative to investigate any larger conspiracy. Against this backdrop, the NIA, India’s premier counter-terrorism agency, has increasingly been tasked with probing serious incidents in Manipur’s protracted ethnic conflict. Context of the ongoing violence
Since May 3, 2023, Manipur has faced ongoing ethnic violence between the Meitei community, mostly in the Imphal Valley, and the Kuki-Zo communities in the hills. The conflict began after a High Court order regarding the Scheduled Tribe status of the Meiteis. So far, at least 260 people have died, and more than 60,000 have been displaced.
Hundreds of villages have been burned, and both churches and temples have been damaged. Thousands of people have had to move into relief camps. Despite the presence of central paramilitary forces, the state still sees ambushes, retaliatory attacks, and abductions. The May 13 attack on church leaders from the Thadou tribe, a Kuki group, was especially shocking because it targeted people returning from reconciliation efforts.
By handing the case to the NIA, the Centre has shown it sees the ambush as more than just a local crime. It may be part of a larger pattern involving organised armed groups with wider connections. The agency will review forensic evidence, witness statements, and potential links to militant groups in the area. Leaders from the Thadou and Kuki-Zo communities have welcomed the NIA’s involvement, hoping it will help identify and arrest those responsible.
The violence has put a strain on Manipur’s social fabric. Churches, usually seen as neutral places, have also been targeted. Both communities accuse each other of ethnic cleansing and sheltering armed groups. As the NIA starts its investigation, many are watching to see if it can uncover the larger conspiracy mentioned in the Home Ministry’s directive and help bring peace and accountability to the State.
