nia-takes-over-probe-into-killing-of-3-church-leaders-in-manipur

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over the investigation into the killing of three church leaders in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district last month, officials said on Wednesday, with the Union Home Ministry citing the gravity of the offence and its wider ramifications.

 

The three deceased, members of the Thadou Baptist Association (TBA), were among a group returning from Churachandpur after attending a religious congregation when they came under attack on 13 May.

 

According to the NIA’s First Information Report (FIR), armed miscreants ambushed two vehicles at Zero Point, located between the Kotzim and Kotlern areas, as the group was travelling towards Kangpokpi district.

 

Three members of the Kuki community succumbed to their injuries at the spot, while four other occupants of the vehicles sustained bullet wounds in the attack.

 

The Manipur Police had registered a case on the day of the incident and initiated an investigation. The case has now been formally taken over by the NIA following a directive issued by the Union Home Ministry.

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In its order transferring the investigation, the ministry said the case involved an ambush by armed miscreants aimed at causing loss of life and property and creating fear and terror among civilians.

 

The ministry further noted that, considering the seriousness of the offence, its national implications and the need to uncover any larger conspiracy behind the attack, an investigation by the country’s premier anti-terror agency was warranted.

 

The NIA has recently registered the case and commenced its probe. Investigators are expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the ambush, identify those responsible and determine whether the attack was linked to broader militant or communal networks operating in the conflict-hit state.

 

The killings occurred against the backdrop of the prolonged ethnic violence that has gripped Manipur since May 2023. Clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities have claimed at least 260 lives and displaced thousands of people, making it one of the most serious internal security challenges in the Northeast in recent years.

 

Security agencies have continued efforts to curb violence and restore normalcy, although sporadic incidents of firing, targeted attacks and tensions have persisted in several parts of the state.