The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has registered a case to probe the killing of three Kuki church leaders in Manipur last month, officials said on Wednesday.
Suspected militants had shot three church leaders dead and injured four others in Kangpokpi district in the strife-torn state on May 13. The deceased, members of the Thadou Baptist Association (TBA), were returning from Churachandpur after attending a religious congregation.
Armed miscreants carried out ambush on two vehicles at Zero Point (between Kotzim and Kotlern area) while coming from Churachandpur and proceeding towards Kangpokpi, according to the NIA's First Information Report (FIR) dated June 8.
In the incident, three individuals of the Kuki community, succumbed to the injuries at the sport and four other occupants of the vehicles sustained bullet injuries, it said.
The Manipur Police had filed a case in this regard on the day of the incident. The NIA has recently registered a case and started its investigation following a directive by the Union Home Ministry in this regard.
In its directive to the anti-terror agency, the Union Home Ministry said that the "case is related to ambush by armed miscreants to cause damage to life and property of civilians and to create fear and terror in the society and having regard to the gravity of the offence, its national ramifications and the need to unearth the larger conspiracy, it is required to be investigated by the National Investigation Agency".
Manipur has witnessed the killing of at least 260 people and the displacement of thousands due to violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities since May 2023.
(With inputs from PTI)