The United Naga Council (UNC) has rejected allegations linking Naga groups to the killing of three Thadou church leaders in Manipur and claimed that suspected Kuki militant groups operating in the area may have been involved in the attack.
In a press statement issued on May 18, the UNC condemned the May 13 ambush and described the slain church leaders as “warriors of peace and understanding”. The organisation said it supported legal action against those responsible for the killings and called for a proper investigation into the incident.
The statement came amid growing tension and competing allegations surrounding the killing of the three church leaders, which has drawn strong reactions from different organisations and community groups in Manipur.
The UNC alleged that social media campaigns blaming Naga groups for the killings began soon after the incident. It specifically referred to a statement issued by Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), which allegedly named the ZUF-Kamson Group and NSCN-IM as being involved in the killings within hours of the attack.
According to the UNC, the condemnation letter circulated by KIM carried the date “6/5/2026”, which was seven days before the ambush took place on May 13. The organisation questioned the timing of the document and asked KIM to provide “concrete proofs” to support the allegations made against Naga groups.
The council also criticised the response of security forces during the hostage situation that reportedly followed the ambush. It alleged that stronger intervention could have been carried out on the same day, pointing out that the headquarters of the 57 Mountain Division at Leimakhong was located close to the area where the incident took place.
The UNC further claimed that deployment of security personnel in vulnerable Naga-inhabited areas remained “discriminatory and highly inadequate”, raising concerns over the security situation in parts of the state.
In its statement, the organisation called on both the Centre and the Manipur government to take stricter action against suspected Kuki militant groups functioning under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement. The UNC demanded that militants be disarmed and confined to designated camps.
It also stated that the SoO agreement should be scrapped if armed groups continued to violate the law and operate freely in conflict-affected areas.
Referring to an earlier statement issued by Thadou Inpi Manipur (TIM) on May 17, the UNC alleged that there had been growing tensions between “Kuki” and “Thadou” identities. The organisation claimed that Rev Dr Vumthang Sitlhou, one of the slain leaders, had publicly opposed the hoisting of the “Kuki Zo Flag” on May 9 and had emerged as a prominent voice for separate Thadou identity.
The UNC further alleged that the ambush took place in an area dominated by Kuki militant groups where, according to the organisation, infiltration by non-Kuki armed groups was “not possible”.
The statement also referred to alleged warnings issued earlier by KLA (L) against meetings with the Manipur chief minister in Churachandpur. The UNC claimed that the visit made by the church leaders may have been viewed negatively by radical groups operating in the area.
While not presenting direct evidence, the UNC alleged that the killings appeared to have “an intra-fold character” involving elements from within the broader Kuki fold. At the same time, it asserted that the involvement of non-Kuki armed groups was “beyond any doubt”.
