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IMPHAL, May 13

Ngarian Martyrs Remembered: Twenty-Five Years After Sacrifice That Saved Young Lives

13 May 2026

Salesian Family,

News reported by: Fr C M Paul SDB

Twenty-five years ago, the quiet Salesian Novitiate at Ngarian in Imphal became the site of one of the most painful chapters in the history of the Church in India, when three Salesians laid down their lives protecting young novices from armed militants.

On the night of May 13, 2001, twenty-seven novices from Northeast India, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Kerala were gathered in Eucharistic Adoration inside the novitiate chapel. Hymns filled the air as candlelight illuminated the prayer hall. The atmosphere of devotion was abruptly shattered when masked gunmen entered the compound.

The militants first ordered the cook to summon the Novice Master, Fr. Raphael Paliakara, 46. Calmly responding to the situation, Fr. Raphael met the armed men at the basketball court, where they demanded money and the surrender of non-local novices. Despite attempts at dialogue and negotiation, he refused to comply.

When Fr. Raphael did not return, Fr. Andreas Kindo, 32, the Socius of the novitiate, stepped forward. Though he offered the money available, he firmly rejected the militants’ demand to hand over any novice. Shortly afterwards, Br. Shinu Joseph, 23, emerged and instructed the novices to remain inside the chapel. All three men stood their ground. Their courage cost them their lives.

Survivor Testimonies Recall Night of Fear and Faith

The surviving novices continue to remember the tragedy with vivid clarity.

Anthony Toppo recalls the fear that gripped the chapel while Fr. Raphael’s calm presence reassured the frightened novices. Fr. Thomas Josekutty, now engaged in Bible ministry, remembers hearing Fr. Andreas declare, “Not one novice will be handed over,” words that strengthened the young men even as gunshots pierced the night's silence.

Igness Hans, a Manipuri novice at the time, described Br. Shinu is “an elder brother” who became a shield for the community. Fr. Shyjan Job, now serving as a Salesian priest in Manipur, says the events of that night transformed his life forever.

Of the novices who survived, ten later became priests, carrying forward the legacy of the men who died protecting them.

Militancy and Extortion Targeted Church Institutions

The killings occurred during a period of intense militant activity in Manipur between 2000 and 2001, when several Christian institutions faced repeated extortion demands.

Militant groups frequently targeted Catholic schools and religious houses, particularly those with non-local clergy and religious personnel. To avoid triggering local ethnic tensions, militants often refrained from attacking local Church workers and instead focused on priests and religious from outside Manipur.

Novitiates housing students from different Indian states became especially vulnerable. At Ngarian, militants reportedly sought the separation of non-local novices with the intention of executing them as a warning. By refusing to surrender the novices, Fr. Raphael, Fr. Andreas, and Br. Shinu chose fidelity to their pastoral responsibility over personal safety.

Part of a Larger Pattern of Violence

The Ngarian tragedy formed part of a broader pattern of violence against Christian institutions in Manipur.

In 1990, Fr. Mathew Manianchira, Principal of Canchipur Catholic High School, was shot dead by militants belonging to the Revolutionary People’s Front. In March 2001, Fr. Devasia, Principal of Don Bosco School, Imphal, survived a point-blank shooting after refusing extortion demands and later continued ministry in South India under a different identity. Later the same year, Fr. Tommy Manjalee, another Don Bosco principal, also survived a militant attack.

Against this backdrop, the martyrdom at Ngarian became a defining symbol of pastoral courage amid violence.

Legacy Lives Through Film and Memorial

The memory of the three Salesians continues to inspire the Church through testimonies, memorials, and film.

A documentary titled The Three Red Diamonds of Kangleipak (Manipur): The Ransom Paid, directed by Fr. Thomas Josekutty Madathiparambil — himself one of the novices present that night — preserves the story for future generations. The film portrays the self-sacrifice of the three Salesians as a powerful witness against the brutality of violence.

At the memorial site in Imphal, the inscription reads: “They laid down their lives for us.”

For many in the Church, those words remain more than a tribute. They stand as a testimony to shepherds who refused to abandon those entrusted to their care.

As the Church in India marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Ngarian martyrs, Fr. Raphael Paliakara, Fr. Andreas Kindo, and Br. Shinu Joseph is remembered as an enduring symbol of pastoral love, courage, and unwavering fidelity to the Gospel.