New Delhi

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has registered a case to investigate the killing of three church leaders in Manipur last month, officials said on Wednesday.

The incident took place on May 13 in Kangpokpi district, where suspected militants allegedly opened fire on a group of church leaders, killing three people and injuring four others.

The deceased, all members of the Thadou Baptist Association (TBA), were travelling back from Churachandpur after attending a religious event when they were attacked.

According to the FIR filed by the NIA on June 8, armed assailants ambushed two vehicles at Zero Point, located between Kotzim and Kotlern, as they were heading from Churachandpur towards Kangpokpi.

The agency noted that three members of the Kuki community died on the spot, while four others sustained bullet injuries in the attack.

A case had initially been registered by Manipur Police on the day of the incident before being transferred to the NIA following instructions from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.

The Home Ministry directed the agency to take over the investigation, citing the seriousness of the offence, its wider implications, and the need to uncover any larger conspiracy behind the attack. It stated that the incident was aimed at causing harm to civilians, spreading fear, and disturbing public order.

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Manipur has been witnessing prolonged ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities since May 2023, which has claimed over 260 lives and displaced thousands of people.