By Herald Malaysia
IMPHAL — The two Salesians, Albert Panmei Aching and Peter Poji Küvisie, were abducted on the night of May 13 while traveling from the Don Bosco complex in Imphal to the Salesian center in Maram, according to Agenzia iNfo Salesiana. They were released the following evening.
In a statement issued from the Don Bosco Provincial House in Dimapur, Father Joseph Pampackal thanked civil society organizations, Church leaders, community elders, police authorities, and supporters who helped secure the release of the two clerics.
“With a heart filled with gratitude to God, I am happy to inform you that our two Brothers, the clerics Pamei Aching Albert and Poji Kiivisie Peter, were released safely from captivity this night (May 14),” the Salesian provincial said.
“We thank God for His providential care and protection over them, and for the loving and maternal intercession of Mary Help of Christians,” he added.
Father Pampackal also acknowledged members of the Kuki community who ensured the clerics’ safety during their captivity, describing their actions as “a testimony to reconciliation and mutual respect even in difficult circumstances.”
The abduction came hours after an ambush on two vehicles carrying leaders of the Thadou Baptist Association between Kotzim and Kotlen villages in Kangpokpi district on May 13.
According to the Vatican’s Fides News Agency, three Baptist pastors and their convoy driver were killed in the attack, while three other pastors were hospitalized.
Archbishop Linus Neli of Imphal condemned the killings, saying the violence had deepened fear and uncertainty in the state.
“It is with deep sorrow and a heavy heart that I express my profound grief over the tragic ambush on two vehicles carrying some church leaders of the Thadou Baptist Association,” the archbishop said.
“This painful incident, in which innocent lives were lost and several others injured, has caused immense anguish and further deepened the suffering and uncertainty already prevailing in the state,” he added.
The archbishop condemned “this heinous act committed against religious leaders who have remained a source of hope and strength during these difficult times of social unrest.”
Manipur has been gripped by ethnic violence since 2023, with clashes involving the Meitei, Kuki-Zo, and Naga communities displacing tens of thousands and leaving hundreds dead.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India said the attack reflected the worsening crisis in the state.
“Violence only deepens the wounds, prolongs the suffering and weakens the bonds that unite our communities,” the bishops said as they appealed to communities “to refrain from all forms of violence and retaliation.”
The bishops urged people to “embrace instead dialogue, forgiveness, reconciliation, moderation and peaceful coexistence.”
The All India Catholic Union said the killings “cannot be considered an isolated crime,” linking the attack to “the ongoing deterioration of peace and constitutional governance in Manipur.”
The Catholic lay organization said armed groups and militias continued to operate “with impunity” while many weapons looted from police and security arsenals remained in circulation.
“Peace cannot be restored as long as armed groups control roads, villages, and community boundaries,” the group said.
It also called for protection for religious leaders, humanitarian workers, and peace mediators, saying “those who risk their lives for peace and harmony cannot be left defenceless.”
Despite the violence, Church leaders described the release of the two Salesians as a sign of hope amid deepening divisions in the state.
