Kangpokpi: The K. Songlung Village Authority has condemned what it described as a “cowardly and inhuman” attack on K. Songlung Part II village, alleging that armed cadres of the Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF), Kamson group, set fire to homes and vehicles in the early hours of Republic Day.
In a press release dated January 26, the Village Authority said the attack occurred at around 12:15 a.m., when assailants allegedly entered the village and set ablaze seven houses and two four-wheeler vehicles. The statement further claimed that villagers were blindfolded and had their mobile phones forcibly taken, cutting them off from communication during the incident.
The Village Authority rejected what it called ZUF’s territorial claims over the area, asserting that K. Songlung was established in 1901 under the British administration and has never been Zeliangrong land. According to the statement, elders from neighbouring Inpui Naga villages are aware of this historical background. It also alleged that the arson was carried out by “vested interests” attempting to disrupt peaceful coexistence by labelling villagers as poppy cultivators. These claims could not be independently verified.
Recalling earlier episodes of violence, the Authority stated that K. Songlung village had previously been attacked and burned on May 2, 1993, during the Naga–Kuki conflict, resulting in several deaths. Over the decades, residents rebuilt their homes and livelihoods, the statement said. It also referred to the destruction of the main K. Songlung village at the Kangchup foothills on June 5, 2023, allegedly by Meitei mobs with the support of armed groups.
Linking the latest incident to the broader ethnic unrest in Manipur since 2023, the Village Authority claimed that tribal Christian communities have been facing continued threats and persecution. The statement also noted that the chairman of K. Songlung Part II is known as the first organic fruit farmer in the area, suggesting that the attack may have been motivated by jealousy and disputes over land, particularly as the Imphal–Kangchup–Tamenglong highway passes through a large tract of K. Songlung land.
The Authority further alleged that village signboards and farm huts had been targeted since September 2025, creating a climate of fear. It said that the Village Authority and local civil society organisations had submitted multiple appeals to the Superintendent of Police in Kangpokpi seeking security protection.
According to the statement, the January 26 incident might have been prevented had those requests received timely attention.
Urging swift government intervention, the Village Authority called on the state authorities to ensure immediate security in the area and initiate legal action against the ZUF, Kamson group. It emphasized that the constitutional responsibility to protect civilians rests with the government and warned that any consequences arising from continued inaction would lie with the authorities.
