NH-2 blocked, indefinite shutdown called after killing of three church leaders in Manipur

IMPHAL: In a grim escalation of violence in Manipur, three Christian clergymen were shot dead and five others injured after unidentified assailants ambushed their convoy in Kangpokpi district on Wednesday morning.

The victims have been identified by Kuki community leaders as Reverend V. Sitlhou, Reverend Kaigoulen, and Pastor Paugoulen of the Thadou Baptist Association. The delegation was travelling in two vehicles, returning from a religious conference in Churachandpur, when they were caught in a hail of gunfire between the villages of Kotjim and Kotlen.

Key Highlights:

• Casualties: 3 dead; 5 injured (including drivers) are currently receiving hospital treatment.
• Location: The stretch between Kotjim and Kotlen, Kangpokpi district.
• Context: The victims were high-ranking members of the Thadou Baptist Association.

One of the deceased, Reverend V. Sitlhou, was a prominent peace advocate and the former General Secretary of the Manipur Baptist Convention. He was notably involved in the recent Kohima peace initiatives aimed at mediating the ethnic divide between the Kuki and Naga communities.

State police and paramilitary units have cordoned off the area, launching an intensive search operation to track down the perpetrators. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the targeted attack.