IMPHAL: The Thadou Inpi Manipur (TIM) has demanded an independent, impartial and time-bound investigation into the May 13 killing of three senior Thadou Baptist Association India (TBAI) leaders, raising concerns over the lack of publicly reported arrests more than 100 days after the incident.
Rev Dr Vumthang Sitlhou, Rev Kaigoulun Lhouvum and Pastor Paogoulen Sitlhou were killed in a targeted ambush in which five others were seriously injured, TIM said. The organisation said the case had been handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and urged it to clarify the status of the investigation within the limits permitted in an ongoing probe.
TIM said the attack occurred in an area where Kuki SoO militant groups, including the Kuki Revolutionary Army and Kuki National Front, were reported to have a significant presence. It urged the NIA to examine whether militant cadres, commanders, intelligence networks or associates had prior information about the victims’ movements or subsequently helped conceal evidence or obstruct the investigation.
The organisation also urged investigators to examine whether the victims were specifically targeted because of their Thadou identity and association with the TBAI, noting that the two vehicles carrying the leaders reportedly had clearly visible TBA markings while other vehicles travelling ahead of and behind them were not attacked.
TIM further called for independent scrutiny of alleged political and institutional conflicts of interest, including reported familial and organisational links between political figures and Kuki SoO groups. It acknowledged that such relationships did not by themselves establish criminal responsibility but said any potential influence or conflict of interest should be examined.
The organisation also raised concerns over the identification of the deceased in NIA-related material as “Kuki” or “Kuki-Zo”. TIM said it had requested the NIA to identify them as Thadou but alleged that the agency declined to make the change. It said accurate identification was important in examining whether ethnic identity formed part of the motive.
TIM stressed that it was not seeking arbitrary arrests and that all action should be based on evidence and due process. It called for prosecution of all persons found responsible, including those who planned or facilitated the attack or obstructed the investigation.
The statement was issued by TIM Joint General Secretary Manggou Thadou, who also cited the Thadou Convention, 2024, which describes Thadou as a distinct ethnic group separate from the Kuki identity.
