The Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) alleged that suspected NSCN-IM and ZUF cadres were behind the attack, condemned it as a campaign of forced displacement, and renewed its demand for a Separate Administration in the form of a Union Territory.
BY PC Bureau
July 15: Fresh violence rocked Manipur’s Noney district on Wednesday after two Kuki-Zo villages were reportedly attacked and set ablaze by armed men, prompting the Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) to issue a strongly worded condemnation and renew its demand for a separate Union Territory for the Kuki-Zo people.
The incident, reported between 2 p.m. and 2.20 p.m., allegedly targeted Teikhang and Lenglong villages in the Longpi area of Noney district. Eyewitness accounts and videos circulating on social media showed thick plumes of smoke rising from the villages, with several houses reportedly engulfed in flames.
There were no immediate official reports of casualties, but local accounts described extensive damage to homes and property.
Allegations Against Armed Groups
In a statement issued later in the day, the Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), the apex body representing Kuki tribes in the state, alleged that the attack was carried out by suspected cadres of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah), or NSCN-IM, along with members of the Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF-K).
The organisation accused the armed groups of carrying out a coordinated assault aimed at driving Kuki-Zo communities from their ancestral villages.
As of Wednesday evening, neither the NSCN-IM nor the ZUF had issued any public response to the allegations. The claims could not be independently verified due to the remoteness of the area and continuing security concerns.
Kuki Inpi #Manipur condemned the alleged coordinated attack on Teikhang and Lenglong villages, attributed it to #NSCN (Muivah) and #ZUF-K, demanding urgent Central intervention and stronger protection for #Kuki-Zo civilians. @LokBhavManipur @YKhemchandSingh @official_dgar pic.twitter.com/fBNDO2Crbq
— KSO Saikul (@KSO_Saikul) July 15, 2026
Kuki Inpi Condemns Attack
In its official press release, KIM described the alleged assault as “a cold, calculated campaign of strategic displacement and psychological warfare”, accusing the attackers of pursuing what it termed an expansionist “Greater Nagalim” agenda through violence and intimidation.
The organisation further alleged that the ongoing instability in Manipur since the ethnic violence that erupted in May 2023 had been exploited to target vulnerable frontier villages.
KIM criticised what it called the state’s failure to provide adequate security, alleging that heavily armed groups continued to operate with impunity in the hill districts.
Arguing that the existing administrative framework had failed to protect the Kuki-Zo population, the organisation reiterated its long-standing demand for a Separate Administration in the form of a Union Territory with a Legislature under the Constitution.
READ: Naga Mob Attacks Assam Rifles Post in Manipur’s Senapati District, Torches Vehicles
Appeal to Centre
The Kuki body urged the Central Government to launch an immediate counter-insurgency operation against the groups it blamed for the attack and called for urgent constitutional measures to address the security concerns of the Kuki-Zo community.
It also appealed to national and international media organisations to closely monitor developments in the region, alleging that repeated attacks on Kuki villages were not receiving adequate attention.
Part of a Larger Pattern
Wednesday’s incident is the latest in a series of reported attacks on Kuki settlements in Noney district over recent weeks.
Earlier this month, Leikot village was reportedly set on fire in an attack attributed by Kuki organisations to suspected NSCN-IM militants. Similar allegations followed incidents in Nungthut and Khongmol villages in Nungba subdivision, where several houses were reportedly destroyed.
These incidents have intensified concerns over deteriorating relations between sections of the Kuki-Zo and Naga communities in parts of Manipur’s hill districts.
The violence comes even as the state continues to grapple with the broader ethnic conflict that began in May 2023 between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities, a crisis that has claimed hundreds of lives and displaced tens of thousands of people.
Just a day earlier, violence also erupted in Senapati district, where an Assam Rifles post came under attack after the arrest of suspects linked to a recent ambush on security personnel.
Official Response Awaited
As of Wednesday evening, neither the Manipur government nor central security agencies had issued an official statement regarding the reported attack on Teikhang and Lenglong villages.
Likewise, there was no official confirmation of the extent of damage or whether security forces had reached the affected villages.
Given the remoteness of the area and the fluid security situation, independent verification of events remains difficult.
