By C.M. Paul
Imphal, May 14 2026: Twenty‑five years ago, the Salesian Novitiate at Ngarian, Imphal, became the stage of a tragedy etched into the memory of the Church in India.
Inside the chapel, 27 novices from Northeast India, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Kerala knelt in Eucharistic Adoration. Candlelight flickered, hymns rose softly, and silence wrapped the young men in devotion — until masked gunmen slipped into the compound, shattering the sacred calm of prayer.
The cook was ordered to summon the Novice Master, Father Raphael Paliakara, 46. Calm but cautious, he listened to their demands — money and the surrender of non‑local novices — and tried to reason with them in the basketball court.
When he did not return, Father Andreas Kindo, 32, the Socius, stepped out, offering what money was available but refusing to hand over any novice. Moments later, Brother Shinu Joseph, 23, the assistant, came out, instructing novices to remain in the chapel. Each stood firm. Their resistance cost them their lives.
Survivor voices
Novices recall the night vividly. Anthony Toppo remembers fear gripping them as Fr. Raphael’s calm voice shielded them. Thomas Josekutty, now in Bible ministry, recalls hearing Fr. Andreas declare, “Not one novice will be handed over.” Those words gave him courage even as gunshots rang out.
Igness Hans, a local Manipuri novice, remembers Brother Shinu as an elder brother who became their shield. Shyjan Job, now a Salesian in Manipur, says that night changed his life. Ten novices became priests, but all carry the witness of those who laid down their lives so others could live and serve.
Circumstances leading to the tragedy
The years 2000–2001 were turbulent for the Church in Imphal. Militant groups repeatedly demanded money from Catholic institutions, especially schools. Their strategy was calculated: avoid targeting local clergy to prevent inter‑community conflict, and instead focus on non‑local priests and religious.
Novitiates, housing many from outside Manipur, became soft targets. At Ngarian, the militants demanded separation of non‑local novices, intending to kill them as a warning. By refusing, Father Raphael, Father Andreas, and Brother Shinu embodied pastoral fidelity — and paid with their lives.
Wider pattern of violence
The Ngarian martyrdom was part of a continuum of militant hostility toward Christian institutions in Manipur. In 1990, Father Mathew Manianchira, principal of Canchipur Catholic High School, was shot dead by militants of the Revolutionary People’s Front.
In March 2001, Father Devasia, principal of Don Bosco School, Imphal, was shot point‑blank after refusing extortion demands; he survived and later worked in South India under a changed name.
Later that year, Father Tommy Manjalee, another Don Bosco principal, survived a militant shooting after resisting similar demands. On May 15, 2001, the Ngarian martyrs joined this tragic roll call.
Legacy preserved in film and memorial
The tragedy is remembered through art and testimony. “The Three Red Diamonds of Kangleipak (Manipur): The Ransom Paid” — a documentary by Father Thomas Josekutty Madathiparambil, himself a novice present that night — stands as a living tribute.
In his film, the generosity of sacrifice confronts the arrogance of violence, ensuring the martyrs’ story continues to inspire.
The memorial inscription in Imphal — “They laid down their lives for us” — is not just a tribute but a testimony. Their martyrdom proclaims that true shepherds do not abandon their flock, even when threatened with death.
Twenty‑five years later, their witness continues to inspire. The novices they saved — 10 of whom became priests — are living fruit of their sacrifice.
As the Church in India commemorates this 25th anniversary, the Ngarian martyrs stand alongside other missionary victims in Manipur as enduring symbols of pastoral love, resilience, and fidelity to the Gospel. Their story reminds us that faith, when tested, becomes courage — and courage, when lived, becomes sacrifice.
(Photo supplied)