THE EXAMINATION of evidences such as direct accounts of eyewitnesses, press releases, statements, interviews given by the released hostages, messages sent by the abducted person, and numerous materials available in the public domain indicates that the Kuki armed militants had murdered the six abducted Naga civilians on May 13, 2026.
On the morning of May 13, 2026, between 10:30 am and 11:00 am, the Kukis forcefully abducted 12 women including an infant and six men at Leilon Vaiphei, a Kuki village. These 18 Naga civilians of Konsakhul village and nearby areas were abducted mainly by the women (Meira Paibi) and the chief of Leilon Vaiphei village. The Leilon Vaiphei women and the village chief handed over the abducted Nagas to the Kuki armed militants.
On the same morning of May 13, 2026, the Kukis and their armed militants also abducted two more Naga priests at Sapermaina Kuki village. Thus, the Kukis and their armed terrorist groups abducted 20 innocent Nagas and kept them in their custody.
On the morning of May 15, 2026, 14 Naga hostages were released, but the six male Naga hostages, including two pastors, were not released.
Further, on the same evening of May 13, 2026, the Kuki armed terrorists ambushed Wilson Thanga (killed) and his wife (seriously injured) of Dolang village at a place near Joujangtek, a Kuki village in Noney district.
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Direct Eyewitnesses and Their Accounts
The 14 released hostages, excluding the infant, have spoken and given their accounts. They are the direct eyewitnesses of the crime of their abduction and hostage-taking. The abducted 18 hostages are: (1) Rev. Dr. Manu Thiumai who was travelling in his car with his wife Kachiaklungliu, his elder sister, and two of family friends. In the exclusive interview (video recorded) by Ukhrul Times, Kachiaklungliu clearly states that she is the wife of Dr. Manu. Her husband, Dr. Manu, was abducted and violently taken away right in front of her eyes. (2) Phenrilung Chawan was travelling in an auto-rickshaw with his wife and his five close relatives. All of them were abducted. (3) Pastor Kenpibou who was travelling in his motorcycle with his friend Phenroungwi Thiumai, were abducted. (4) Dilip Thiumai, travelling on a scooter with his wife and his infant daughter were abducted. Kaliwangbou Abonmai travelling alone in an auto-rickshaw was abducted.
Dr. Manu, Phenrilung, Pastor Kenpibou, DilipThiumai, Phenroungwi, and Kaliwangu have not been released yet, and officially, their fate is unknown till date.
Briefly summed up, the released hostages have provided the accounts of how they were abducted and who abducted them. They are:
(1) The 18 Naga civilians were travelling in five separate vehicles with their family members, relatives and friends.
(2) They were abducted approximately between 10:30 am and 11:00 am at Leilon Vaiphei Kuki village.
(3) They were abducted mainly by the women / Meirai Paibi of Leilon Vaiphei village. The six males were handled by the Leilon Vaiphei village men and Kuki armed militants who are hand in glove.
(4) The abducted women were herded together before they were blindfolded. Their mobile phones were snatched and taken away.
(5) They witnessed the abductors violently dragging out their husbands and male relatives from their vehicles.
(6) They witnessed the Kuki armed militants violently taking away their husbands and relatives in vehicles – their eyes blind-folded, kicked, their hands tied from behind. The vehicles used by the Kuki armed terrorists carried spades, shovels, sharp iron tools, etc.
(7) The remaining female hostages were first taken to the community hall and then to the school where they were blind-folded, hands tied from behind and from there, they were taken to far-away places. The Kuki armed militants carried spade and threatened to kill them if they disobeyed the orders.
(8) They recognized the Leilon Vaiphei women who abducted them. They can identify the said persons fully as and when they are produced or paraded before them.
From the above discussions, it is clearly established that there are three culprits/ groups:
(1) Leilon Vaiphei Meira Paibi and village leaders: They abducted the 18 Naga civilians.
(2) The Chief of Leilon Vaiphei village: In Kuki villages, the Chief is the ruler. In his village jurisdiction, all important decisions are taken by him. In this abduction case, the Leilon Vaiphei chief is directly involved.
(3) Kuki National Front (KNF) armed militants: The 18 abducted Nagas were handed over to the Kuki armed militants. In their statements, the released hostages have named the KNF armed militants. It is the KNF armed militants who took away the abducted female hostages – their hands tied from behind, their eyes blind-folded, their basic women dignity denied, barbaric and inhuman treatment inflicted. The KNF armed militants took away the six male Naga civilians separately.
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The Role of the Government and the Security Forces
In this crime, the main culprits are identified. The Meira Paibi and the village leaders of Leilon Vaiphei and the Chief of this village should have been arrested as soon as the crime came to light. The crime was reported and circulated within a few hours of the abduction.
The police and the security forces are claiming to be conducting search operations apparently in all wrong places and against wrong targets, whereas the main culprits are openly and freely moving around. The delayed action has allowed the culprits to escape, fabricate alibis and destroy evidences.
As far as the suspected leaders and cadres of Kuki National Front (operating under the Kuki National Organization,) are concerned, being a SoO group, the top suspected leaders should have been summoned, grilled and arrested. Handing over the case to the NIA is not good news for the Nagas particularly for the families of six male hostages. This means only one thing – the Kuki militant had killed the six abducted Nagas and their bodies destroyed.
The Role of Kuki Inpi Manipur & Kuki National Organization
In its final ultimatum issued on May 14, 2026, the Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) has stated that “the unlawful detention and hostage situation involving more than 25 Kuki individuals in Senapati District and another six Kuki persons at Ereng was utterly unacceptable, inhuman, and barbaric”. In case the hostages are not released within the given deadline, KIM has threatened that “Failure to ensure their immediate release within the deadline shall render the concerned CSOs and responsible actors in Senapati District fully and solely responsible for any eventuality arising thereafter”.
However, KIM is completely silent on the abduction of 20 Naga civilians by the Kukis on the morning of May 13, 2026. The abduction of 20 Naga civilians by the Kukis took place much before the detention of 31 Kuki persons mentioned by KIM. It appears that the said detention of 31 Kukis mentioned by KIM is a retaliatory reaction. Surprisingly, KIM has not mentioned any reason as to why these 31 Kukis are detained. KIM must mention.
As reported in the Sangai Express dated May 19, 2026, KIM stated that “on Friday morning, we released all 14 people in our custody. The Naga groups are saying that there are six more pe ople, but we have no information about these six people or their whereabouts”.
After keeping silent for a long time, KIM admitted the abduction of 14 released Nagas only on 18/05/2026 which took place in the morning of 15/05/2026. Even in its Press Statement dated 17/05/2026, KIM mentioned only Kuki hostages, but the abducted Naga hostages were deliberately omitted. In his recent interview conducted by the Hornbill TV, the President of KIM, in response to a question, stated that “Regarding this matter of six abducted Naga individuals, we came to know about it as late as the Nagas came to know about it”.
The Nagas came to know about the abduction of six Naga civilians within one hour because one male Naga sent WhatsApp message to his family informing them of their abduction. Konsaram (Konsakhul) Village Authority issued the condemnation statement regarding the hostage-taking on the 13th May, 2026 itself. So, the KIM president himself is admitting that they actually came to know about the six abducted Naga individuals on May 13, 2026 itself.
KIM’s deceptive conducts, cover-up press statements, evasive denials, unsubstantiated allegations, blatant lies and dramatic protest rallies lead to one simple conclusion that the six abducted Nagas were murdered on the 13th May, 2026 itself. KIM, being the apex body of Kuki community, is sincerely requested to prove the author’s conclusion to be completely wrong by releasing the 6 abducted Naga hostages forthwith.
In its Press Note dated 14/05/2026, the Kuki National Organization (KNO) has stated that “Presently, 12 Naga civilians are in the custody of Kukis”. The KNO admitted that 12 Naga civilians were abducted, but they did not admit that there are 6 male hostages in the custody of Kukis. The KNO knew very well that the said six Nagas were not alive at the time when they issued the press note on May 14, 2026. Under the umbrella of KNO and United People’s Front (SoO group), the KNF operates in its jurisdiction around the Kangpokpi and the surrounding areas. As expected, the KNF also will not admit their involvement in the abduction of 6 Naga civilians.
The released women hostages have conclusively named the KNF and its cadres as the perpetrators who abducted the said 6 male Naga civilians. The said released women are the direct eyewitnesses of the abduction / kidnapping of their husbands, relatives and friends.
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The Village Volunteer Eastern Zone, Kuki-Zo-Gam (VVEZ)
In its Statement on the Hostage Crisis and Inter Community Relations dated 16/05/2026, the VVEZ has stated that “The 14 Kuki civilians and 6 Naga civilians presently held in captivity bear absolutely no connection to the barbaric, cold-blooded assassination of our revered church leaders”. The VVEZ admitted the abduction and captivity of 6 Naga civilians. According to the VVEZ, the 6 abducted Naga civilians are still alive up to 16/05/2026. Apparently, the VVEZ is not aware that the 6 abducted Naga civilians were already murdered.
However, the VVEZ’s statement that the captivity of 14 Kuki civilians and 6 Naga civilians bears no connection to the assassination of 3 church leaders is to be noted and considered. It means that the Kukis had abducted 20 Naga civilians without any plausible reason whatsoever. But then why the 20 Naga civilians were abducted immediately just after the killing of these 3 church leaders from a place of close distance. Or is it that VVEZ knows that the ZUF-Kamson, NSCN-IM and Meitei militants are not the killers of the said church leaders and therefore, the two incidents (killing of 3 church leaders and the abduction of Kuki and Naga civilians) are not connected at all.
The Role of Other Kuki Civil Society Organizations
In their press releases / statements dated May 13, 2026, the Kuki Students’ Organisation Churachandpur District, Kuki Organization for Human Rights Trust, Kuki Students’ Organisation-City Branches and Kuki Chiefs’ Association Manipur have condemned the ZUF–Kamson, NSCN-IM, and Meitei militants for the killing of three Kuki church leaders between Kotjim and Kotlen in Kangpokpi district on the morning of May 13, 2026. KIM’s press statement (issued on 13/05/2026) condemning the ZUF-Kamson and VBIG for the killing of three Kuki church leaders was dated 06/05/2026.
The ZUF-Kamson, NSCN-IM, and Meitei groups have strongly denied their involvement. Almost all the Kuki CSOs condemned the ZUF Kamson, NSCN-IM and Meitei militants for the killing of three Thadou Kuki church leaders immediately within a very short span of time of the incident – leaving absolutely no space or time to verify or ascertain the facts and the real killers. Such preconceived irresponsible condemnations and wrong accusations hurled against ZUF-Kamson, NSCN-IM and Meitei militants have fatal consequences.
Now all credible evidences, motives behind the murders and statements issued by different groups, including the Thadou community (For details, please read “Thadou Community International Refutes False Narratives Surrounding the Killing of Thadou Church leaders – Media Release – May 28, 2026) show that the Kukis are the main suspects for the murder of these three Thadou Christian leaders. It appears that the Killing of Thadou church leaders, the abduction of Naga civilians and killing of innocent Naga(s) on the same day is premeditated with ulterior motives. Somehow, things have not worked out as planned for the Kukis. It has ended up in killing innocent Naga civilians. Now who will pay the price for these horrible crimes? The above-named persons and CSOs of Kuki community are held to be fully accountable and responsible for the abduction and murder of the six Naga civilians.
(The views expressed are personal. The author is Retd. Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, GOI. The author can be reached at ktzimikcit@gmail.com)