Manipur: Thadou body seeks probe into Sunurok Hills killings, alleges political and militant links

Thadou Inpi Manipur (TIM), the apex body of the Thadou tribe in Manipur, has demanded a comprehensive investigation into the killing of three Meitei civilians at Sunurok Hills in Imphal East district on October 19, alleging possible links between armed groups, political rivalries and militant networks.

In a media release issued on October 22, TIM welcomed the arrests made in connection with the killings but called for investigators to establish the motive behind the attack, identify all those involved and uncover any wider conspiracy. The organisation said at least three active cadres of Kuki National Front (Nehlun)—KNF(N), described in the statement as a proxy of the SoO signatory Kuki National Front (KNF-P) under the United People's Front (UPF)—had been arrested, with two of them reportedly confessing.

TIM also urged the state government to address other civilian killings across Manipur, stressing that Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh must prioritise prevention, law enforcement and justice without waiting for public protests over bodies being brought to his official residence.

The organisation extended condolences to the bereaved families and called for the identification, arrest and prosecution of those responsible for civilian killings and attacks on villages across the state.

The statement cited the recovery of arms, ammunition, alleged poppy consignments and a Kuki Students' Organisation (KSO) identity card as grounds for investigating possible connections between armed groups, the illegal poppy trade and militant networks. It also called for scrutiny of the role of KSO and other Kuki civil society organisations allegedly acting as proxies for armed groups.

TIM further referred to the recent arrest of KSO-GHQ vice-president Jamkhomang Khongsai alongside United Kuki National Army (UKNA) chief Thangkhoham Haokip, arguing that the alleged links between armed groups and civil society organisations required closer examination.

The organisation said the Sunurok Hills killings raised questions about alleged factional disputes within KNF(P) and competing political interests ahead of the 2027 Manipur Legislative Assembly election.

It identified several issues that it said investigators should examine, while presenting the allegations as matters requiring verification rather than established conclusions.

One of these concerns the alleged relationship between Jangboi Kipgen, described as the unified commander of KNF-N, and ST Thangboi Kipgen, the KNF(P) president and a senior political figure in Kangpokpi district. TIM alleged that KNF-N cadres operated under Jangboi Kipgen's influence and called for an investigation into whether the attack was linked to organisational or political rivalries.

The statement also alleged a dispute within KNF(P)/UPF involving ST Thangboi Kipgen and Home Secretary-cum-Finance Secretary Jangboi Kipgen over political support in Saitu Assembly constituency. According to TIM, the dispute followed disagreements over support for candidates associated with the Kipgen family ahead of the 2027 election.

TIM alleged that the rivalry may have involved attempts to influence voting in Kangpokpi, including through intimidation. It called on investigators to determine whether the dispute had any connection with the Sunurok Hills attack.

The organisation also questioned the circumstances surrounding the recall of Independent MLA Haokhollet Kipgen and the disruption of Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen's planned visit to Imphal.

According to the statement, Haokhollet Kipgen returned to Kangpokpi on October 18 after staying at the Chief Minister's Bungalow Guest House in Imphal. Nemcha Kipgen was expected to travel from Kangpokpi to Imphal on October 19 to work from the Secretariat.

TIM alleged that Jangboi Kipgen, who was reportedly unhappy with ST Thangboi Kipgen, may have been connected to Haokhollet Kipgen's recall and the disruption of the Deputy Chief Minister's visit. The organisation said these claims required verification and that internal rivalries could not justify attacks on civilians.

TIM also referred to a joint condemnation of the killings by the United People's Front (UPF) and the Kuki National Organisation (KNO), which denied involvement in the incident on October 19.

The organisation questioned whether subsequent police operations and arrests of KNF-N cadres could lead to accountability for those allegedly responsible, including senior figures who may have exercised influence over the group. It called for a full investigation into command structures, motives and the alleged operational relationship between Jangboi Kipgen and KNF-N.

The statement further proposed investigating whether the attack was intended to escalate communal tensions, weaken Nemcha Kipgen and her husband, ST Thangboi Kipgen, politically, pressure KNF(P) leadership or strengthen rival factions ahead of the 2027 Assembly election.

TIM said these were possible motives for investigators to examine and not conclusions about the perpetrators.

The organisation maintained that the Chief Minister's visit to Kangpokpi and the Deputy Chief Minister's planned travel to Imphal under security arrangements should not replace concrete action against violence.

It warned that the three victims of the Sunurok Hills killings must not become “pawns in armed-group rivalries, communal violence or electoral calculations”.

TIM called for a thorough investigation into every credible lead, including the alleged KNF(P)-KNF-N connection, factional disputes and possible political motives. It said the government must establish the truth, hold those responsible accountable under the law, protect civilians and prevent further killings.

The statement also reiterated TIM's position that the Thadou are a distinct ethnic community, separate from the Kuki community, citing the Thadou Convention of 2024. The organisation said groups using the name Thadou while portraying the community as Kuki or part of the Kuki community did not represent Thadou interests.