NSCN/GPRN clarifies it has no connection with Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF) or the Kangpokpi village attack even as Kuki Students’ Organisation has sought action against the perpetrators.
BY PC Bureau
January 27, 2026: The Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO) Sadar Hills has strongly condemned a recent arson attack on K. Songlung village in Kangpokpi district, which was claimed by the Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF) under S. Kamson. The attack reportedly took place on India’s 77th Republic Day, displacing villagers who had already suffered during ethnic violence in 2023.
In a statement, the KSO described the incident as “criminal vigilantism” and rejected ZUF’s claim that the newly rebuilt structures were “farmhouses” used for poppy cultivation, calling such allegations “false, fabricated, and deliberately misleading.” The organisation emphasised that the villagers’ livelihoods are based on organic fruit and vegetable farming, with no evidence of narcotics-related activity. It further denounced the use of “indigenous land” and “indigenous people” rhetoric to justify violence as a cynical misuse of identity discourse, amounting to collective punishment and ethnic targeting.
Highlighting the failure of the State to protect innocent civilians, the KSO expressed concern over the breakdown of governance and law enforcement that allowed armed groups to operate with impunity. The timing of the attack, on Republic Day—a day symbolising constitutional supremacy and fraternity—was called “particularly provocative” and likely to inflame communal tensions. The organisation demanded immediate action from the Union Government and the Governor of Manipur, including identification and prosecution of the perpetrators, restoration of law and order, provision of relief and compensation for affected families, and effective protection for displaced civilians.
The KSO also endorsed a press statement issued by the Sadar Hills Chiefs’ Association (SAHILCA) and reiterated its commitment to pursuing justice, concluding that “violence is not governance. Arson is not justice. Vigilantism is the collapse of the rule of law—and it must be stopped.”
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VVCC Condemn Attack
The Village Volunteers Coordinating Committee (VVCC), representing Kuki-Zo volunteers from Manipur’s Eastern, Southern, and Western zones, has also condemned the arson attack .
In its statement, the VVCC described the attack as a “heinous terrorist act” designed to sow discord between communities. The group alleged that elements within ZUF Kamson have merged with NSCN-IM and claimed the attack was orchestrated by a few Tangkhul Naga leaders. The VVCC called the exploitation of ongoing Kuki-Meitei ethnic tensions for violence “utterly reprehensible” and a display of “extreme moral cowardice.”
The VVCC emphasized that the Kuki-Zo people hold no animosity toward Naga communities and do not oppose the Naga political aspiration for Greater Nagalim. It called for mutual respect of each other’s legitimate political and territorial concerns to maintain peace.
Addressing poppy cultivation claims, the VVCC stressed that enforcement against illegal activities is the government’s responsibility. It highlighted past resolutions by Kuki-Zo civil society groups and Chiefs’ Associations to curb poppy farming, warning against vigilantism by ZUF Kamson or any self-styled enforcement. The VVCC clarified that it does not intervene in Naga-inhabited areas, which are outside its jurisdiction.
The statement concluded with an appeal to Naga leaders, especially Zeliangrong leaders, to exercise responsible leadership and prevent further provocations, misinterpretations, and deterioration of relations.
NSCN Denies Role
In a related development, the NSCN/GPRN (Government of the People’s Republic of Nagalim) issued a statement on January 26, 2026, distancing itself from the arson attack on K. Songlung village in Kangpokpi district. The statement, released by the group’s Ministry of Information and Publicity (MIP), categorically denied any involvement or connection with the Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF) faction under S. Kamson, which had claimed responsibility for the torching of houses as part of an anti-poppy cultivation campaign.
Describing social media reports linking the NSCN/GPRN to the incident as “unbounded and malicious allegations,” the group expressed regret over its name being dragged into the matter. “In no manner whatsoever are we connected with ZUF (Kamson) for this kind of operation against poppy cultivation,” the statement read.
The NSCN/GPRN’s denial underscores the complex factional dynamics among Naga militant groups in the region, where accusations of involvement in such operations frequently emerge amid ongoing ethnic and territorial disputes in Manipur’s hill districts. Authorities have yet to confirm the extent of the damage or make any arrests, even as calls grow for stronger state intervention to prevent further escalation.
