At least three Church leaders, belonging to the Kuki community, were killed and several other injured after suspected militants ambushed two vehicles in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district on Wednesday morning. A police official in Imphal said that unidentified armed cadres opened fire on the two vehicles along Tiger Road in the hilly district, killing three persons on the spot. According to sources, the victims were part of a delegation of senior clergy travelling from Churachandpur to Kangpokpi to attend an inter-association ecclesiastical meeting. Security forces have reportedly moved into the area and launched a search operation following the incident.
Authorities are yet to issue an official statement on the identities of the victims or the group behind the attack. The Kuki Students’ Organization (KSO) said that all the victims were Baptist Church leaders belonging to the Kuki community. In a social media post, the KSO alleged that a Naga armed group ambushed the vehicles along the Kangpokpi — Churachandpur (Lamka) road while the victims were returning to Kangpokpi after attending the UBC Convention at Lamka. The KSO, however, claimed that four church leaders were killed and several others critically injured in the attack.
The Kuki Organization for Human Rights Trust (KOHUR) condemned the attack, alleging involvement of NSCN-IM cadres in collusion with ZUF, and termed it a “premeditated act” targeting peace efforts. The latest violence has raised fresh concerns over security in the hill districts of Manipur, which have witnessed repeated incidents of armed clashes and attacks over the past year. The incident remains under investigation, and further details are awaited.
