The incident comes amid renewed violence along the Imphal-Tamenglong road, where rival communities have traded allegations over attacks on villages and civilians. The destruction of the school has further raised concerns over the impact of the conflict on children and education.
BY PC Bureau
September 7: Lhungjang Primary School in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district was reportedly gutted in a fire on Monday morning, with videos circulating on social media showing the single-storey school building extensively damaged.
The fire was reported from Lhungjang village in the T Vaichong area along the volatile Imphal-Tamenglong road. The footage shows a collapsed corrugated roof, charred wooden beams, blackened walls and debris scattered across the premises.
The school’s identity could be seen on its signboard in the videos. Government education records also list Lhungjang Primary School in Kangpokpi district.
There was, however, no immediate official confirmation of the circumstances of the fire or who may have been responsible. Police and district authorities had not, at the time of reporting, publicly attributed the incident to any particular group.
Conflicting claims were circulating on social media. Some Kuki-aligned accounts alleged that kacha Naga armed groups were behind the burning of the school. Yet others named cadres associated with NSCN-IM and ZUF-Kamson. Neither claim could be independently verified, and no group had publicly claimed responsibility.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions and recurring violence along the Imphal-Tamenglong road, where Naga-Kuki clashes and competing allegations of attacks have intensified in recent months.
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The burning of the school, if confirmed as an act of arson, would add an educational institution to the growing list of civilian infrastructure affected by the conflict. Lhungjang is a small rural settlement in T Vaichong; available demographic records place the village at 281 residents in the 2011 Census.
The location has also been identified in official electoral records, with Lhungjang and neighbouring settlements listed under the Saikul Assembly constituency.
Arson and Demolition of Lhungjang School, IT Road – A Calculated Assault on Education:
It is an established fact that any individual or community devoid of academic inclination and harbouring antipathy towards education would wish for the demolition or destruction of a school by… pic.twitter.com/Sesr7GLgV5
— The Proud Indian (@DynastyDoungel) September 7, 2026
The latest incident follows a series of violent episodes along the corridor. On August 27, four Liangmai Naga civilians, including the principal of Right Path School, were reportedly killed in an ambush between Makui Ashang and Thanamba. On September 1, armed attacks were reported in several Liangmai villages, with houses and other property damaged or burnt.
Both sides have accused armed groups from the opposing community in various incidents, making independent verification particularly important.
For the children of Lhungjang, the immediate consequence is clear: a school building that served a remote community has been severely damaged or destroyed.
The cause of Monday’s fire, the circumstances leading to it and those responsible remain to be established. A formal police investigation, including examination of the site and verification of the competing claims, will be crucial before responsibility can be assigned.
