Karbi Anglong: Five community organisations — Thadou Inpi (TI), Karbi Students’ Association (KSA), Dimasa Students’ Union (DSU), Thadou Students’ Association (TSA) and Thadou Women’s Association (TWA) — have strongly condemned the killing of Thadou leader Nehkam Jomhao on August 30 at Manja village in Karbi Anglong, allegedly by cadres of Kuki militant groups KRA, UKDA and KLA.

According to the organisations, seven militants have been arrested and confessed to the crime, but the masterminds, including leaders of the three outfits, remain at large. Two of those arrested are reportedly from Manipur and had recently joined the groups. Jomhao’s body, allegedly mutilated, has yet to be recovered.

Jomhao had attended a “Road to Peace” community meeting in Imphal on August 6 as part of a Thadou delegation. Thadou Inpi clarified that the delegates did not represent the Kuki community. However, the groups said Kuki organisations subsequently targeted the Thadous with threats, social boycotts and hate campaigns.

The bodies alleged that the killing was part of a wider pattern of persecution of Thadous by Kuki militant groups, describing it as “cultural genocide.” They also released a timeline of escalating hostilities:

• May 2024: Kuki militants allegedly ordered the Thadou Students’ Association to dissolve.

• Nov 2024: A complaint was filed with Assam Police but no action followed.

• March 2025: KRA, UKDA and KLA reportedly banned the Hun-Thadou Cultural Festival.

• April 2025: Kuki National Assembly-Assam allegedly carried out an unlawful census of Thadou households and declared Thadou delegates as “enemies.”

The organisations said the killing has strained long-standing ties between the Thadou, Karbi and Dimasa communities. They noted that Manja holds historical significance, having been gifted by Karbis to the Thadous after the 1992–93 Kuki-Thadou violence. Jomhao’s brother was also a victim of that conflict.

In a joint statement, the groups demanded the following from the central and state governments:

• 1. Immediate arrest of the masterminds and militant leaders.

• 2. Recovery of Jomhao’s body.

• 3. Transfer of the case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

• 4. Removal of Kuki militants from Karbi Anglong and Assam.

• 5. Cancellation of the Suspension of Operation (SoO) with KRA, UKDA and KLA, and their declaration as terrorist outfits.

• 6. Ban on Kuki militant and anti-peace organisations.

• 7. Establishment of a peace memorial park in Karbi Anglong in honour of Jomhao.

The organisations warned that the unchecked activities of Kuki militants were fuelling lawlessness and recalled past ethnic clashes, including the Kuki-Thadou violence in 1992–93 and the Kuki-Karbi clash in 2003.

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