Manipur: Thadou body seeks answers on motive behind Tronglaobi attack

The Thadou Inpi Manipur (TIM), the apex body of the Thadou tribe in Manipur, has demanded a transparent investigation into the motive behind the April 7 attack at Tronglaobi Awang Leikai in Bishnupur district, in which two children were killed and their mother was injured.

The demand comes days after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Thangmang Haokip as the second accused in the case. The agency had earlier arrested S Palal Thadou Kuki in August. According to the NIA, unknown militants had launched an explosive device from the hillside towards a residential house at Tronglaobi Awang Leikai, with the attack causing serious injuries to three members of a family.

In a statement issued on October 1, TIM said the attack took place on the day of the eighth Hun-Thadou Cultural Festival and six days after it had publicly warned that Thadou people were receiving threats over attending the event.

TIM said the investigation should establish why the particular household was targeted and examine any possible links to the Hun-Thadou Cultural Festival, earlier threats and the Covenant of Community Understanding signed on August 6, 2025.

“It is clear this attack was designed to achieve multiple destructive objectives,” the organisation said, listing the targeting of civilian members of the Meitei community, disruption of the cultural festival and creating fear among people in Manipur.

The organisation also questioned why the motive behind the attack had not yet been publicly established.

“Neither police nor NIA has publicly declared a motive,” TIM said, while calling for the investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the attack and identify those responsible.

The organisation further alleged links between Kuki militant groups and organisations operating under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) framework. It called for a probe into whether any militant groups, political organisations, civil society organisations or religious groups were involved in the attack.

TIM also referred to a joint press conference it held with the Meitei Alliance on March 7, 2025, claiming that the United Kuki National Army (UKNA) had issued an ultimatum against the proposed event. According to TIM, it subsequently submitted a formal petition to the government on March 10, 2025, regarding the alleged threats.

The organisation said the investigation should examine these developments as part of the circumstances surrounding the attack.

The NIA's investigation into the case is continuing. The agency said the involvement of Thangmang Haokip surfaced during the probe and that further investigation was underway to identify other persons involved and ascertain the larger network behind the attack.

TIM also appealed to communities across Manipur to collectively oppose violence and terrorism and called for the safety of civilians.

The organisation reiterated its position that the Thadou are a distinct ethnic group and said they should not be treated as synonymous with the Kuki community.