Hostage Crisis and Church Leader Killings Escalate Manipur Tension

Following the May 13 attacks, extremist groups in Kangpokpi and Senapati districts seized roughly 50 individuals from both Naga and Kuki‑Jo communities. The same wave of violence also claimed the lives of three church leaders in Kangpokpi, leaving four more injured.

Negotiations involving community elders, civil society groups and local administration led to the release of about 30 hostages on May 14‑15. The remaining 14 Kuki villagers were handed over to police on June 10 by the United Naga Council and the Naga Peoples Organization at a police station in Senapati.

The next day, the bodies of the six Naga captives were recovered from a forest near Kharaam Vaphei village, confirming the worst fears of the community and adding a new layer of grief to an already volatile situation.