UKHRUL: Thadou Inpi Manipur condemned the heinous attack on a team of Thadou Baptist Church leaders on Wednesday in Kangpokpi district.
The incident reportedly occurred at around 10:30 a.m when two vehicles were ambushed and fired upon indiscriminately at point-blank range between Kotzim Village and Saheibung Village (Near Saheibung Peak–Zero Point) in Kangchup Geljang subdivision of Kangpokpi district, near Sangaithel Manipur Olympian Park.
At least three leaders of the Thadou Baptist Church were killed on the spot, while five of them were injured in the brutal ambush. The victims have been identified as Rev. Dr. Vumthang Sitlhou, president, Thadou Baptist Association India (TBAI); Rev. Kaigoulun Lhouvum, finance secretary, TBAI; and Paogoulen Sitlhou, superintendent pastor, IT Road/Twilang Area, TBAI. The five injured individuals were TBAI executive secretary Rev. SM Haopu; Rev. Hekai Simte, superintendent pastor, Twipajang Area; Rev. Kaikhothang Singsit, Pastor, Centre Church, Kangpokpi, TBAI; Thangtinlen Sitlhou (driver); and Lungoumang Lhouvum (driver).
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Condemning the incident, TIM stated that it was deeply pained and shocked by the brutal and cowardly attack on innocent, peace-loving church leaders who were travelling on a spiritual and official mission. TIM has declared the three deceased as Thadou martyrs who have laid down their lives in the service of God and the Thadou community.
The Thadou Inpi Manipur has demanded the state and Centre to identify the perpetrators, hand them over to central investigative agencies, thoroughly investigate the root cause of the attack, and bring all those responsible to justice. It demanded to immediately stop the killing of innocent people and protect the lives of all citizens.
TIM also demanded to launch a decisive military crackdown on militants.
It demanded to immediately and permanently stop the politics of appeasement toward radicals and perpetrators of violence and take concrete and meaningful steps to heal the wounds of Manipur and bring lasting peace.
“The perpetrators of this heinous crime must claim responsibility and clearly state the reasons for their actions and bring all those responsible to justice,” TIM stated.
Reiterating that Thadou is not Kuki, TIM stated that thadou people, a distinct ethnic community, have repeatedly become victims of the ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur due to misidentification.
“The Thadou people are peace-loving citizens who desire lasting peace in Manipur. However, it is deeply unfair and unjust that Thadous continue to fall victim to violence and hostility between different groups due to misidentification or deliberate attempts to involve the Thadou community in agendas that do not represent them,” TIM said in its statement.
It further added that, the Thadou Baptist Association India (TBAI) is an independent body and is not affiliated with the Kuki Christian Leaders Forum (KCLF), Kuki Baptist Convention (KBC), or Kuki Christian Church (KCC).
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