Tribal group demands crackdown after church bombing in Manipur

Imphal: The Committee on Tribal Unity demanded a swift crackdown on the NSCN-IM and the Zeliangrong United Front on Tuesday. The move follows a Sunday explosion at a church in the Kuki village of Thingkhongjang. Two civilians suffered critical injuries in the blast. They currently receive care at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences Hospital in Imphal.

Militants launched the attack while worshipers gathered inside the building. The explosion damaged the church and left the congregation in shock. The tribal body labeled the Tangkhul-led NSCN-IM the greatest threat to peace in the Northeast. It warned that the group prevents law enforcement from doing its job.

The organization called on the central and state governments to act. It argued that these armed factions continue to destabilize Kuki-Zo regions in the hill districts. The group statement noted that "the operational reach of the Tangkhul-led NSCN-IM as the single largest liability to peace and stability in the Northeast." Leaders stated that lasting peace remains impossible while these armed groups operate without consequences.