Guwahati: The Council of Baptist Churches in North East India (CBCNEI) has appealed to churches and believers across the Northeast to participate in a candlelight vigil on May 14 in memory of three church leaders who were killed in an ambush in Manipur earlier this week.
In a press statement issued by CBCNEI Secretary General Rev Dr Namseng R Marak, the council expressed “deep sorrow and heavy hearts” over the tragic deaths of Rev Dr Vumthung Sitlhou, former General Secretary of the Manipur Baptist Convention (MBC) and Executive Council Member of CBCNEI, Pastor Paogoulen Sitlhou, and Pastor Kaigoulun Lhouvum.
According to the statement, the three church leaders lost their lives in an ambush between Kotzin and Kotlen villages in Manipur on May 13, 2026. The incident has sent shockwaves across the Christian community in the Northeast, with church bodies mourning the loss of what CBCNEI described as “faithful servants of God.”
The council stated that Rev Dr Vumthung Sitlhou had served as General Secretary of the Manipur Baptist Convention and was also a member of the CBCNEI Executive Council from 2001 to 2010. He later served as Chairman of the CBCNEI Medical Board from 2019 to 2023. The statement highlighted his long-standing contribution to the church and society, describing him as a devoted servant whose ministry touched many lives across the region.
In honour of the deceased leaders, CBCNEI announced that a candlelight vigil would be held simultaneously at all six convention headquarters under the council, including the Arunachal Baptist Church Council, Assam Baptist Convention, Garo Baptist Convention, Karbi Anglong Baptist Convention, Manipur Baptist Convention, and the Nagaland Baptist Church Council.
The vigil is scheduled to take place on May 14 at 7 PM. The venues will include convention headquarters, association centres, and churches. The council also requested local congregations to organise prayer gatherings at their respective churches where travelling to convention headquarters may not be feasible.
Calling upon church leaders, youth fellowships, women fellowships, and believers to participate in large numbers, the council urged Christians across the Northeast to stand together in prayer and solidarity during the difficult period.
“Let us come together as one body in Christ to remember these faithful servants of God and to pray for peace, healing, and reconciliation in our broken and bleeding land,” the statement read.
CBCNEI further appealed to believers to maintain peace, unity, and Christian love amid the prevailing tensions and violence in Manipur and surrounding areas. The council stressed that the teachings of Jesus Christ should guide the response of the faithful during the time of grief and uncertainty.
The statement concluded with a call for prayerful cooperation from all churches and Christian communities, saying that collective participation in the vigil would be deeply appreciated as a tribute to the lives and ministries of the slain church leaders.
