In a statement issued from its Sadar Hills headquarters, the KNF accused “vested interests” of attempting to tarnish the image of the organisation and its leadership. 3. The outfit warned against the spread of unverified and inflammatory online content, saying such misinformation risks worsening communal tensions in Manipur’s already volatile hill districts.
BY PC Bureau
Imphal, May 18, 2026 — The Kuki National Front (KNF) has strongly denied allegations linking the outfit to the disappearance of six Naga civilians on May 13, 2026, describing viral social media posters accusing the group as “AI-generated” fabrications intended to malign its leadership and inflame tensions in Manipur.
In a press release issued on May 17 from its headquarters, “Camp Ebenezer,” in Natingkhel, Sadar Hills, the KNF dismissed the allegations as “completely baseless, malicious, and devoid of any factual foundation.”
The statement specifically referred to claims targeting ST. Thangboi Kipgen, Chairman of the United People’s Front (UPF), alleging involvement in the incident.
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“The poster appears to be the handiwork of a few vested interests whose sole intention is to malign the image and reputation of KNF and its leadership, especially ST. Thangboi Kipgen,” the release stated.
The KNF categorically denied any role in the alleged disappearance and condemned what it described as the “irresponsible circulation of unverified and inflammatory propaganda” on social media, warning that such content was worsening communal mistrust in an already volatile region.
The outfit appealed to the public, civil society organisations, and media houses not to be misled by fabricated narratives or AI-generated misinformation circulating online.
Reiterating its stated commitment to peace, dialogue, and democratic engagement, the KNF expressed hope for a peaceful resolution of the ongoing tensions in Kangpokpi and Ukhrul districts so that different tribal communities could continue to coexist harmoniously.
The organisation also warned that it would initiate legal action against individuals or groups responsible for spreading what it termed defamatory and misleading information.
The statement comes amid heightened ethnic tensions in Manipur’s hill districts, particularly between Kuki-Zo and Naga groups, following the killing of three senior Baptist church leaders and subsequent reports of abductions and disappearances.
The alleged disappearance of six Naga civilians has further intensified anxieties in the region, with conflicting claims and unverified information rapidly spreading across social media platforms.
The KNF, which describes itself as an organisation formed to protect the people and ancestral land of the Kuki-Zo community, said it would continue to defend the “life and existence” of its people through lawful and democratic means.
