Three senior Baptist church leaders were shot dead and at least five others injured on Wednesday , May 13, when armed men ambushed their convoy in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district. The victims were returning from the United Baptist Convention Assembly in Churachandpur when gunmen opened fire on their two vehicles between Kotzim and Kotlen villages along the Imphal-Tamenglong highway. The vehicles were clearly marked “Mission and Evangelist” at the time of the attack.
The Evangelical Fellowship of India confirmed the deaths of Rev. Dr. Vumthang Sitlhou, President of the Thadou Baptist Association India (TBAI) and former General Secretary of the Manipur Baptist Convention; Pastor Kaigoulun Lhouvum, Secretary for Finance, Youth and Music at TBAI; and Pastor Paogoulen Sitlhou, Superintendent Pastor of TBAI. Among the injured are Rev. SM Haopu Sitlhou, Executive Secretary of TBAI, Rev. Kaithang Singsit, Mr. Thangtinlen Sitlhou, and Mr. Lungoumang Lhouvum, all of whom are receiving treatment at hospital.
The killing of Rev. Dr. Sitlhou has drawn particular grief. He had spent recent weeks working to build peace between Kuki and Naga communities. Alongside the Nagaland Joint Christian Forum, he had convened a peace consultation in Kohima aimed at reducing tensions between the two communities. The day before his death, he and the delegation had participated in discussions on peaceful coexistence and dialogue between Christian leaders from both communities in Churachandpur. He was travelling home from that meeting when he was killed. His mother belonged to the Rongmei Naga community.
EFI General Secretary Rev. Vijayesh Lal, in a statement issued from New Delhi, said the killing of “unarmed church leaders returning from Christian fellowship and ministry is deeply disturbing and tragic.” He urged authorities to ensure urgent medical care for the injured, protection for affected communities, and a thorough investigation so that those responsible are brought to justice. EFI also called on churches across India to remember Manipur in their worship services and prayer meetings.
The National Council of Churches in India condemned the attack as “a grave assault not only on human dignity and life, but also on the sacred mission of peacebuilding, reconciliation, and communal harmony tirelessly pursued by church leaders and faith communities.” General Secretary Rev. Dr. Asir Ebenezer called on the Government of India, the Government of Manipur, and law enforcement agencies to conduct an “immediate, impartial, and transparent investigation,” warning that “silence and impunity in the face of such violence will only deepen fear, mistrust, and instability in the region.”
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India expressed “deep sorrow and grief” over the ambush, echoing the call of Most Rev. Dr. Linus Neli, Archbishop of Imphal, for all communities to refrain from violence and retaliation. The CBCI urged the authorities “to act with wisdom, fairness, and sensitivity so that peace with justice may prevail and confidence among communities may be restored.”
The Nagaland Joint Christian Forum, which had partnered with Rev. Dr. Sitlhou on the Kohima peace initiative, mourned the victims as “innocent Church workers who were faithfully labouring for peace and reconciliation in the conflict-torn land of Manipur,” and called on all communities to restore peace immediately.
The Kuki Inpi Manipur alleged the attack was carried out by the ZUF-Kamson faction in collusion with other armed groups. The Zeliangrong United Front denied involvement, calling the allegations “completely baseless, unfounded and misleading,” and issued a separate statement alleging that NSCN-IM operatives had carried out the attack under a fabricated name. Security officials told The Indian Express that the involvement of militant outfits remained under investigation. The Manipur government had not issued any statement as of Wednesday evening.
Following the killings, protesters enforced an immediate blockade on National Highway-2. The Kuki Students’ Organisation declared an emergency indefinite shutdown. The Kuki Inpi Manipur called a three-day total shutdown across all Kuki-Zo inhabited areas. Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio condemned the killings as “barbaric violence against innocent lives” that had “no place in any civilised society.” Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma described himself as “deeply disturbed and anguished” by the attack.
The NCCI has called on all people of goodwill in Manipur to work collectively “toward the restoration of peace, justice, and human dignity with greater resolve.” No one has been arrested in connection with Wednesday’s attack.
