Total Shutdown Called After Republic Day Attack On Kuki-Zo Village; CoTU Demands Decisive Government Action

Even as the nation celebrated the 77th Republic Day with patriotic fervour, the Kuki-Zo community in Sadar Hills, Kangpokpi district, was pushed deeper into fear and insecurity following a brazen act of arson by the proscribed Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF) faction led by S. Kamson.

In a shocking daylight incident, armed cadres of the ZUF allegedly razed K. Songlung (II) village to the ground, exposing grave lapses in security preparedness and raising serious questions over the ability—or willingness—of the authorities to protect vulnerable tribal villages. The timing of the attack, carried out on the very day the Constitution of India is celebrated, is viewed as a direct affront to the rule of law and constitutional authority.

Villagers were reportedly blindfolded, their mobile phones forcibly seized, leaving them completely isolated and defenceless. At least five residential houses and one four-wheeler vehicle were set ablazed.

The incident has not only shaken public confidence in the state’s security apparatus but has also demeaned the constitutional mandate of the Governor, who is entrusted with maintaining law and order and preventing armed groups from destabilising peace in the region.

It is pertinent to note that several Kuki-Zo villages—Lhangjol, Loibol Kholen, Kharam Vaiphei and K. Songlung (II)—located along the fringes of Kangpokpi district have repeatedly been treated as soft targets by the ZUF faction. Residents of these villages have, for months, faced harassment, intimidation and threats under the pretext of “policing poppy plantations,” creating a climate of perpetual fear and displacement.

The Committee on Tribal Unity (CTU) has strongly condemned the attack and expressed grave concern over what it describes as the continued inaction of the Government of Manipur, warning that such silence would amount to tacit collusion with armed gangsters operating with impunity.

“The time for token condemnations is over,” the Committee stated, urging the government to take immediate and decisive action to apprehend the perpetrators and dismantle the ZUF network responsible for terrorising innocent civilians.

In view of the gravity of the situation, the Committee on Tribal Unity has issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the Governments to arrest those responsible for the burning of K. Songlung (II) village. Failure to do so, the Committee warned, will compel it to undertake pre-emptive measures, including a total shutdown of AH-2 and NH-37 from midnight of January 27 to midnight of January 28, 2026, without further notice.

The Committee has made it clear that it will not be held responsible for any consequences arising from the government’s failure to act decisively within the stipulated timeframe.

In a separate statement, Sadar Hills Chiefs' Association (SAHILCA) and Kangchup Area Protection and Development Committee (KAPDC) also vehemently condemned the attacked.

SAHILCA stated that the ZUF leadership under S. Kamson has openly claimed responsibility for the harassment, terrorising of villagers and the burning of homes. The organisation categorically clarified that K. Songlung (II) is a recognised Kuki village under K. Geljang sub-division, PS New Keithelmanbi, and has never cultivated poppy, strongly refuting the militants’ claim of acting against poppy cultivation.

Describing the justification as “pretentious and criminal,” SAHILCA condemned the act as sheer terrorism, accusing the militants of misusing the anti-poppy narrative to legitimise blindfolding village elders and destroying civilian property.

SAHILCA, as custodians of Kuki tradition and customary law, has issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the ZUF to surrender, admit their wrongdoing, and compensate for the loss of property and psychological trauma suffered by the villagers. Failure to comply, the association warned, will compel civil society organisations in Kangpokpi district to take all necessary steps to ensure justice.

The KAPDC, under the aegis of Kuki Inpi South West, Sadar Hills Unit-II, highlighted that the village lies close to Waphong Inthan, while the nearest Army posts are located at Haochong and Kotlen, raising serious questions about security deployment and response failure. The committee revealed that despite repeated appeals to the Superintendent of Police, Kangpokpi, no permanent police deployment was made in the Kangchup area.

The KAPDC has urgently appealed to the Governor of Manipur and the Government of India to immediately deploy adequate security forces and establish a permanent police security outpost in Kangchup to protect civilian lives and property. The continued insecurity, the committee stated, further strengthens the demand for separate administration as a means to ensure lasting peace, dignity, and justice in the region.

Both organisations strongly condemned the incident as a grave security lapse and a direct insult to the Constitution of India, stating that it is deeply shameful that on Republic Day, the Kuki-Zo people continue to be denied the constitutional promises of justice, liberty, and equality.

The Republic Day violence has once again underscored the fragile security situation in Manipur, intensifying fears of further unrest if urgent corrective steps are not taken.