Reports alleging that Kuki villagers were tied and blindfolded before their houses were set on fire have triggered fresh outrage, as the Naga armed group ZUF claimed responsibility, calling the incident an “enforcement operation.”
BY PC Bureau
January 26, 2026: Fresh tensions have erupted in Manipur’s hill districts after the Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF), an armed group claiming to represent Zeliangrong (including Kacha Naga) communities, allegedly razed a Kuki-Zo village in Kangpokpi district, prompting the Committee on Tribal Unity (COTU), Sadar Hills, to threaten a highway blockade.
According to reports, ZUF cadres allegedly tied the hands of villagers and blindfolded them before setting houses on fire at K. Songlung (II) village in the Sadar Hills area. The incident has triggered fear and anger among Kuki-Zo communities, particularly as it occurred on Republic Day, when the rest of the country was celebrating the 77th anniversary of the Constitution.
In a press statement issued on January 26, the Committee on Tribal Unity (COTU), Sadar Hills, Kangpokpi, condemned the incident and accused the ZUF faction, under the leadership of S. Kamson, of repeatedly targeting Kuki-Zo villages. The organisation alleged that villages such as Lhangjol, Loibol Kholen, Kharam Vaiphei, and K. Songlung (II) have been treated as “soft targets” by ZUF cadres operating on the fringes of Kangpokpi district.
COTU questioned the preparedness of security forces and criticised the constitutional authority of the Governor, arguing that the daylight razing of a village reflected a failure to contain armed groups and protect civilians. Warning of escalating unrest, the group issued an ultimatum to the Manipur government, demanding the arrest of those responsible within 24 hours.
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Failing government action, COTU said it would impose a total shutdown of National Highway-2 and National Highway-37 from midnight of January 27 to midnight of January 28, stating that the organisation would not be responsible for any consequences arising from the blockade.
ZUF Claims ‘Enforcement Operation’
Meanwhile, the ZUF claimed responsibility for what it described as an “enforcement operation” against illegal poppy cultivation and unauthorized structures in Kangpokpi district. In a separate statement, the group said the operation took place around 12:15 pm in the Waphong area of Songnung, Sadar Hills, during which farmhouses, poppy farms, cultivation materials, and what it termed unauthorized settlements were dismantled and burnt.
I unequivocally condemn the unprovoked attack and burning of K Songlung Village in Kangpokpi District by heavily armed Zalengrong militants today. Despite President’s Rule and over 60,000 Central security forces on the ground, attacks on Kuki-Zo villages continue unchecked. This… pic.twitter.com/bLlaZmYSS5
— H S Benjamin Mate (@BenjaminMate1) January 26, 2026
ZUF asserted that repeated public warnings had been issued prior to the operation and alleged that illegal poppy cultivation, narcotics trafficking, and encroachments by what it described as “illegal immigrants” posed threats to indigenous land rights, public safety, and the future of the Zeliangrong Inpui Naga people. The group reiterated that it would not allow what it calls Naga ancestral land to be occupied or exploited, calling its campaign against narcotics and unauthorized settlements “non-negotiable.”
Conflicting Accounts and Social Media Claims
Earlier in the day, unverified social media posts claimed that K. Songlung, a Kuki-Zo village in the Kangchup area of Kangpokpi district, had been set ablaze for the second time, with some posts alleging that the attack occurred while villagers were working in their fields. Videos circulating online purportedly showed houses engulfed in flames, with one clip appearing to show an elderly resident watching the fire from a distance.
Songlung was among the villages destroyed during the May 2023 ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki communities, which displaced more than 60,000 people and left over 260 dead across Manipur. Residents had begun partially rebuilding the village in the aftermath.
Critics argue that some Naga armed groups are operating in parallel with valley-based civil society organisations, exacerbating tensions for the Kuki-Zo population in the hills.
Despite heavy deployment of security forces, Manipur’s deep-rooted ethnic fault lines—between Meitei communities in the valley and Kuki-Zo and Naga groups in the hills—remain volatile, with land disputes, political authority, and control over narcotics routes continuing to fuel unrest.
