3 Pastors Killed Returning from Peace Conference

Three tribal church pastors from the Thadou Baptist Association (TBA) of India were killed, and four others were injured in an armed ambush on May 13 in Kangpokpi district of Manipur.

Roughly 10 armed men used automatic weapons to shoot two vehicles carrying the church leaders as they returned from a peace and reconciliation conference in Churachandpur.

The murders triggered a wave of retaliatory abductions and hostage-taking between rival armed groups across several districts, fracturing the already fragile atmosphere. The incident caused immediate panic and deep outrage across tribal communities statewide, sparking spontaneous protests and highway blockades.

The Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) and the Kuki Organization for Human Rights Trust (KOHUR) alleged the involvement of the Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF), specifically the Kamson faction, possibly in coordination with valley-based insurgent groups in the ambush and killings.

Rev. Dr. Sitlhou was a prominent advocate for peace, having recently led a delegation to Nagaland to broker reconciliation between the Kuki and Tangkhul Naga communities. He was a notable bridge-builder working on dialogues between the two.

Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh has condemned the incident and urged swift justice.

Singh condemned the ambush as a “senseless act of violence” and promised full state resources to bring the perpetrators to justice. The chief ministers of Nagaland, Meghalaya, and Mizoram similarly expressed deep outrage.

Hostages Released
Manipur’s conflict landscape involves three major ethnic groups: the Meiteis, the Nagas, and the Kuki-Zo communities. These groups largely live in separate geographical belts and pockets where each forms a local majority. The killing occurred amid persistent tensions between Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities following the ethnic violence that broke out on May 3, 2023.

“What began over issues of Scheduled Tribe status, land rights, forest governance, and demographic concerns has now expanded into a dangerous triangular confrontation involving Meiteis, Kuki-Zo, and Nagas,” John Dayal, a noted human rights activist, stated in media reports.

Following the pastors’ deaths, heavily armed factions — largely aligned with Kuki-Zo and Naga groups — began detaining civilians from opposing tribal factions in the Kangpokpi and Senapati districts.

State officials reported that as many as 38 civilians, including women and other religious figures, were taken hostage by rival militias in retaliation and moved to undisclosed locations.

The crisis sparked widespread fears of civil war. To prevent further deterioration, Manipur government officials, security forces, and church leaders initiated emergency negotiations.

By May 15, the dialogue led to the release of about 30 hostages in a localized “exchange” format.

Despite the safe return of many hostages, civil society organizations representing the Kuki Zo tribes reported that some individuals remained in captivity and are feared dead, prompting more protests in places like New Delhi, the capital of India.

Meanwhile, Haominlun Sitlhou, the son of Rev. Dr. Sitlhou, publicly stated he has forgiven his father’s killers in the name of peace, while appealing for the release of other civilians held captive.

This article was originally published on https://persecution.org/2026/05/20/3-pastors-killed-returning-from-peace-conference/