Imphal, May 15, 2001 — remembered in 2026: Twenty five years ago, on a Tuesday evening steeped in prayer, the Salesian Novitiate at Ngarian, Imphal, became the stage of a tragedy that would etch itself into the memory of the Church in India. Inside the chapel, twenty seven novices from the hills and valleys of Northeast India, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Kerala knelt in Eucharistic Adoration. Candlelight flickered, hymns rose softly, and silence wrapped the young men in devotion — even as masked gunmen slipped in stealthily into the compound, their presence casting a shadow over the sacred calm of prayer.

The Confrontation
The first to confront the masked men was the cook, ordered to summon the Novice Master, Fr Raphael Paliakara, aged forty six. Calm but cautious, Fr Raphael left the chapel and listened to their demands — money and the surrender of non local novices — and tried to reason with them standing on the basketball court.

When he did not return, Fr Andreas Kindo, thirty two, the Socius, stepped out of the chapel, offering what money was available but refusing to hand over any novice. Moments later, Br Shinu Joseph, twenty three, the assistant, came out to enquire, telling novices not to leave the chapel. Each of the three Salesians stood firm, refusing to betray their flock. Their resistance cost them their lives.

Survivor Voices
Novices who survived recall the night vividly. Novice Anthony Toppo remembers kneeling in prayer when footsteps broke the silence. Fear gripped them, but he heard Fr Raphael's voice outside — calm, steady — and knew he was shielding them.

Thomas Josekutty, a novice from Kerala, now engaged in Bible ministry, recalls being among those the militants wanted to take. His heart froze when he heard their demand, but Fr Andreas said firmly, "Not one novice will be handed over." Those words gave him courage even as gunshots rang out.

Igness Hans, a local Manipuri novice, recalls Brother Shinu as an elder brother. When Shinu stepped out, he thought he would bring the others back, but instead, he became the shield between them and the guns. His sacrifice saved them.

Another novice, Shyjan Job, now a Salesian working in Manipur, says that night changed his life. Ten of the 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 and 2001 were among the most turbulent for the Church in Imphal. The insurgency was at its peak, and militant groups made repeated demands on Catholic institutions, especially schools. Missionary schools were asked to pay huge sums of money to continue their insurgency activities — payments that would have amounted to tacit support for anti-national militancy.

The militants' strategy was calculated: they avoided targeting local clergy, which could spark inter community conflict, and instead focused on non local priests and religious. Novitiates became soft targets, as they housed many young members from outside Manipur. The attackers made it clear in their conversation with the Salesians that they intended to "teach a lesson" to the Church and the Salesians, the leading religious group in Manipur.

They demanded that non local novices be separated from the Manipuri novices, intending to kill them as a warning. The community at Ngarian, though uninvolved in school administration, was singled out precisely because it sheltered non locals. By refusing to surrender their novices, Fr Raphael, Fr Andreas, and Br Shinu embodied the Church's pastoral fidelity — and paid with their lives.

Wider Pattern of Violence
The Ngarian martyrdom was part of a tragic continuum of militant hostility toward Christian institutions in Manipur. In 1990, Fr Mathew Manianchira, Principal of Canchipur Catholic High School, was shot dead inside the campus by militants of the Revolutionary People's Front, linked to the PLA. In March 2001, Fr Devasia, Principal of Don Bosco School, Imphal, was shot point blank in broad daylight after refusing extortion demands. He survived, changed his name and worked in South India!

Later that year, Fr Tommy Manjalee, another Don Bosco Principal, survived a militant shooting after resisting similar demands. And on May 15, 2001, the Ngarian Martyrs — Fr Andreas, Fr Raphael, and Br Shinu — were killed for refusing to surrender non local novices. The militants' modus operandi was consistent: demand money, target non locals, and retaliate with violence when institutions resisted.

Memory Preserved in Film
The tragedy has also been remembered through art and testimony. The Three Red Diamonds of Kangleipak: The Ransom Paid is the title of a documentary by Fr Thomas Josekutty Madathiparambil, an Indian Salesian. More than a video, it is a living tribute. Fr Josekutty himself was one of the novices present that night. In his film, the generosity of sacrifice stands in stark opposition to the arrogance of violence, ensuring that the martyrs' story continues to inspire future generations.

Legacy of Courage
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 — ten of whom became priests — are living fruit of their sacrifice. In a region scarred by extortion and insurgency, their story remains a beacon of faith and courage.

As the Church in India commemorates this twenty fifth 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.