Armed miscreants suspected to be cadres of Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF-Kasom) faction and NSCN-IM allegedly set ablaze a tribal village belonging to Kuki community at Manipur’s Kangpokpi district on Monday, police said, adding that there were no reports of casualties or injuries in the incident.
A senior police officer on condition of anonymity told HT, “the village was abandoned during the Kuki-Naga clash that occurred in 1992-1998, but later some belonging to Kuki communities started resettling in the area.”
The officer further said armed militants suspected to be cadres of ZUF burnt down three houses and one 4-wheeler (Gypsy). A police team led by a DIG, along with the SP, Kangpokpi district are on its way for spot inspection.
Videos surfaced on several social media platforms showing that a group said to be cadres of ZUF Tiger Force burning down a farm house and destroying illegal poppy cultivation in Waphong Kuki village area in Kangpokpi district. HT has seen the viral video surfaced on various social media.
ZUF later claimed responsibility for the incident, saying that the action was carried out as an intensified campaign against illegal poppy cultivation, narcotics trafficking and unlawful encroachment by illegal immigrants.
The banned outfit further warned that no foreign or illegal settlers shall be permitted to exploit, occupy or degrade the ancestral land of the Zeliangrong Inpui Naga people under any pretext.
Meanwhile, Committee on Tribal Unity Sadar Hills, Kangpokpi, a Kuki organisation, in a separate statement alleged that Kuki-Zo community especially in the region of Sadar Hills is faced with insecurities and repeated threats from the proscribed ZUF faction under the leadership of S Kasom.
CoTU claimed that villages belonging to Kuki-Zo such as Lhangjol, Loibol Kholen, Kharam Vaiphei and K Songlung (II) in fringe areas of KAngpokpi district have been constantly considering a soft target by the ZUF faction.
The committee also alleged that in the pretext of policing poppy plantation the banned ZUF faction has been harassing and threatening people of the area and urged the Government to take effective and immediate action against the outfit.
CoTU served an ultimatum of 24 hours to the Government to apprehend the perpetrators, “failing which we will be forced to take pre-emptive action against such gangsters and impose total shutdown the AH-2 and NH-37 from midnight of 27 till midnight of 28 January, without further notice and the Committee cannot be held responsible for any outcome.”
Additionally, the Sadar Hill Chief’s Association (SAHILCA), a group of tribal elders, claimed that K Songlung village under K Geljang sub-division under New Keithelmanbi police station of Kangpokpi district is a recognised Kuki village under the Chieftainship of Semlal Haokip and “that the village had never cultivated Poppy”.
The chief association announced a 24 hours window for ZUF to surrender their mistake in the court of SAHILCA and compensate for the loss of property and psycological damaged caused to the villagers of K Songlung (II). It warned that failure to meet the demand, civil bodies of Kangpokpi will undertake all necessary steps.
Manipur has been under unrest since May 3, 2023 killing more than 260 individuals and over 60,000 were displaced.
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