'Our Last Exchange Was...': Thadou Intellectual's Farewell To Leader Killed By Kuki Insurgents In Assam
Leaders of Thadou tribe in Assam wrapped the coffin of their community leader, Nehkam Jomhao, with the traditional Thadou Saipikhup shawl in what they called a mark of highest respect and honour to the 59-year-old who was killed by Kuki insurgents.
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Nehkam Jomhao (white circle) served as chairman of the Thadou Literature Society in Assam
Guwahati:
The Thadou community in Assam honored their slain leader, Nehkam Jomhao, by draping his coffin with the traditional Thadou Saipikhup shawl – a gesture they described as their highest mark of respect for the 59-year-old cultural advocate who was tortured and killed by Kuki insurgents on August 30.
The Thadou people have consistently maintained their identity as a separate tribe with distinct language and cultural traditions, rejecting inclusion under the Kuki umbrella. This position has been contested by certain Kuki organizations and militant groups.
Nehkam Jomhao, who chaired the Thadou Literature Society, participated in a significant peace-building initiative on August 6 when he joined a Thadou delegation visiting Imphal, Manipur. There, they shared a platform with Meitei community organizations in what participants described to media as an important demonstration of common people's determination to overcome divisions and misunderstandings.
The Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA) in Assam acknowledged that five of its members were involved in Jomhao's murder but claimed they acted independently without organizational approval. The KRA has pledged cooperation with police investigations.
At the funeral service held on 13th September 2025 at Diphu Thadou Veng, the President and Vice-President (Administration) of Thadou Students' Association (TSA) were in attendance. As a mark of highest respect and honor, they ceremonially wrapped the coffin of Late Nehkam Jomhao... pic.twitter.com/OTfUTOEOB2
— Thadou Students' Association (@TSA_GHQ) September 14, 2025 Chongboi Haokip, UK-based founder of the Thadou Community International (TCI) who helped organize Assam Thadou Hun 2025, shared with NDTV her final exchanges with Jomhao just before his death.
"On August 29, Pu Nehkam commented in a group chat about a social boycott notice circulated by Kuki organisations... With his typical characteristic humour, he joked he had been boycotted again which he just found out, adding laughing emojis. Obviously, such treatment was nothing new to him. I replied jokingly that he and Pu Janglun Sitlhou had become popular subjects in Kuki media despite not being Kuki themselves. That exchange would be our last direct communication," said Ms. Haokip, who holds MCIHort credentials from Britain's Chartered Institute of Horticulture.
"The next day, August 30, I noticed that he had read my message on the future of the Thadou community, a subject matter close to his heart, at 3.48 pm. I am at peace knowing that he knew his legacy would carry on, even though he may not be with us on this Earth anymore," she continued.
"It was the last sign of life from a man who had given everything for his people's cause. That evening, my brother called with devastating news that Kuki insurgents had murdered Pu Nehkam, and his body had not been found. In that moment of grief, I told my brother firmly that the Thadous must emerge stronger from this tragedy and never yield to oppression, for the future of our people depends on it," Ms. Haokip told NDTV.
Haokip revealed that Jomhao had previously survived torture by Kuki insurgents during the 1992-1993 Thadou-Kuki conflict in Assam, sustaining lifelong injuries. His brother perished in that same conflict, yet Jomhao responded not with bitterness but with strengthened determination to advance peace and preserve Thadou identity globally.
"In our many discussions, he frequently emphasised that our tribe must preserve our heritage at all cost. Sometimes, I wish now that I had engaged with him in a deeper dialogue on what matters most to him for the Thadou," reflected Haokip, who collaborated with Jomhao on April's Hun-Thadou Cultural Festival in Guwahati.
As chairman of the Thadou Literature Society in Assam, Jomhao "fiercely guarded the Thadou language, literature, and cultural identity," leaving an enduring legacy in cultural preservation and peacebuilding efforts.
"Pu Nehkam was acutely aware of the risks his advocacy entailed. On several occasions, he said he had received death threats... In early August 2025, despite being aware of the dangers, he boldly joined a peace road building mission team working to bridge the divide between the Thadou and Meitei communities [in Manipur].
"He felt deeply the pain of his people, who were often misidentified by others and had faced undesired human tragedy in the history of Manipur and beyond. He believed that resolving this issue was crucial so that Thadous could make meaningful contributions to reconciliation in the broader Manipur conflict..." Ms. Haokip stated, adding that inspired by Jomhao's legacy, the Thadou community will "build bridges in place of walls and foster hope where despair once prevailed."
Thadou organizations in Assam have petitioned the state government to terminate the suspension of operations (SoO) agreement with Kuki insurgent groups. During protests in Guwahati on September 11, they specifically named leaders of KRA, KLA, UKDA, and other militant factions, challenging the legal basis for maintaining the SoO when these groups continue perpetrating violence despite established ground rules.
The protesters demanded that all Kuki insurgent groups be classified as terrorist organizations under applicable laws and called for the dismantling of their camps in a memorandum addressed to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
They also expressed concern that despite the Thadou Students Association (TSA) and community members alerting the Assam government about threats from Kuki insurgents, particularly the Kuki Liberation Army/Kuki Liberation Organisation, authorities failed to prevent Jomhao's murder in Karbi Anglong district.
On September 6, the Karbi Anglong district commissioner informed Thadou community organizations that their memorandums requesting decisive action against Kuki insurgents "have been sent to all the department concerned of Government of Assam including Hon'ble Chief Minister of Assam and Hon'ble CEM, Kart anglong Autonomous Council and NC Hills Autonomous Council... for taking further necessary action from the authority concerned."
Thadou groups have alleged that the civilian murder by Kuki insurgents signals an attempt to expand the Manipur conflict into neighboring states.
Sources indicated that the KRA's quick acknowledgment of its five members' involvement came after top Assam officials began closely monitoring developments in the autonomous district following the Thadou leader's assassination.
Civil society and student organizations from other communities including Karbi and Dimasa have joined the renewed protests against Kuki insurgents operating in Assam, where police are recognized for their experience and proactive approach to insurgency management.