Imphal: The United Naga Council (UNC) has denied allegations linking Naga groups to the killing of three Thadou church leaders on May 13, and called for the immediate disarmament and confinement of Kuki militant groups operating under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement.
In a statement, the apex Naga body said the “cold-blooded murder” of the three church leaders had triggered widespread outrage and was condemned by Naga civil society organisations and Naga national groups across Nagalim.
Describing the incident as a “dark episode”, the UNC said Manipur had lost “three noble warriors of peace and understanding within and between communities,” adding that the vacuum created by their deaths would be difficult to fill.
The organisation also assured support for all efforts aimed at bringing the perpetrators to justice.
The UNC alleged that following the killings, certain Kuki groups began accusing Naga organisations of involvement in the incident, with the claims being widely circulated on social media.
According to the UNC, these allegations followed “the same standard tactics” allegedly adopted by Kuki groups during the ongoing ethnic conflict with the Meiteis since May 2023.
The council further claimed that the Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) had issued a condemnation statement within two hours of the ambush, explicitly naming the ZUF-Kamson Group and NSCN-IM as perpetrators.
The UNC questioned the authenticity of the statement, pointing out that it reportedly carried the date “June 5, 2026”, despite the killings taking place on May 13.
“The speed and tone of certainty in that release suggest prior knowledge. To date, there has been no corrigendum regarding the incongruent date,” the UNC stated, adding that the issue raised questions over possible prior planning and involvement.
The UNC demanded that Kuki organisations place “concrete proof” in the public domain to substantiate allegations against the Nagas and also prove that they had no prior knowledge or involvement in the killings.
The council also criticised the response of security forces, including the Indian Army, following the ambush and subsequent hostage-taking incident.
It stated that the 57th Mountain Division at Leimakhong, located within two kilometres of Konsakhul and Leilon Vaiphei villages, should have immediately pursued the militants and rescued the hostages on May 13.
The UNC further expressed dissatisfaction over what it termed “discriminatory and inadequate” security arrangements in vulnerable Naga areas.
Calling for stronger action, the council demanded that State and Central authorities immediately disarm and confine Kuki SoO militants to their designated camps, as mandated under the SoO agreement.
It warned that if enforcement proved impossible due to continued militant defiance, the SoO agreement should be scrapped and the groups subjected to the “laws of the land”.
Referring to a May 17 statement by the Thadou Inpi Manipur (TIM), the UNC highlighted the long-standing controversy over the ethnonyms “Kuki” and “Thadou”, describing it as an ideological issue spanning nearly six decades.
The UNC claimed that attempts to impose the “Kuki” identity on Thadous and resistance against such imposition had contributed to tensions.
It further alleged that Rev. Dr. Vumthang Sitlhou, one of the victims, was viewed as a hurdle to efforts aimed at building an umbrella Kuki identity due to his advocacy for Thadou identity.
The UNC also referred to a warning allegedly issued by KLA (L) advising Kuki-Zo people not to meet the Chief Minister of Manipur in Churachandpur on May 15, 2026.
According to the council, the victims’ visit to Churachandpur for a religious matter may have been perceived negatively at a sensitive time.
The council also pointed out that the ambush site was located in what it described as a “Kuki and militant-dominated area”, claiming that infiltration by non-Kuki armed groups into the area was unlikely.
It further alleged that Rev. Dr. Vumthang Sitlhou appeared to be the primary target in the attack, citing the number of bullets recovered from his body and his public rejection of the “Kuki Zo Flag” hoisting held on May 9, 2026.
The UNC also referred to the killing of Thadou leader Nehkam Jomhao in Assam on August 30, 2025, alleging that Thadou leaders were increasingly being targeted by “Kuki protagonists”.
“Against the above facts, the non-involvement of non-Kuki armed group(s) in the killing spree is beyond any doubt,” the UNC claimed, adding that the incident appeared to have “an intra-fold character” involving “two non-Naga tribes belonging to the controversial Kuki fold”.
The council concluded by stating that “truth will prevail” and that more information surrounding the killings was gradually emerging from “reliable sources”.