Kuki–Naga tensions flare in Manipur as homes burn and key road is blockaded

This incident came amid an ongoing two-week-long blockade by Naga villagers of a road used by Kuki-Zo people to move between the two key Kuki-Zo-majority districts — Kangpokpi and Churachandpur. Groups of both communities in Kangpokpi accuse each other of “encroaching” on their respective “ancestral lands”.

On Tuesday, executive members of the United Naga Council (UNC), which is based in Senapati, and the Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), met in Churachandpur, reportedly under the initiative of two Naga MLAs — Dinganglung Gangmei from the BJP and Awangbow Newmai from the Naga People’s Front.

A joint statement issued after the meeting by the presidents of both organisations said they “unequivocally condemn the burning down of households in K. Songlung (Part-II) village in broad daylight, rendering loss of properties and panic to the victims by the Zeliangrong United Front-Kamson group on 26 January, 2026”.

“The two apex bodies appeal to the general public and all concerned to maintain peace and restrain from any form of violence between the communities. Further, cautions all fellow tribals to refrain from writing/posting unwarranted rumours, false propaganda creating animosity and tension among the communities,” the statement read.

However, a leader from the Committee on Tribal Unity (COTU), a Kangpokpi-based Kuki-Zo civil society organisation, said they would go ahead with their plan for a 24-hour district shutdown beginning midnight in the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday. Further, a leader from the Foothills Naga Coordination Committee (FNCC) said they would continue with their “agitation” and blockade of the road.

New road, new tensions

In fact, they claim that the tensions in the area began with the creation of the road, which was built by Kuki-Zo groups after the start of the conflict in Manipur to connect Churachandpur and Kangpokpi by bypassing Meitei-majority areas. The route that existed before the conflict went through the Meitei-majority valley.

“The construction of that road was done illegally, and it passes through Naga ancestral land. By doing this, they are claiming our land and didn’t seek any permission for it, and we are against it for that reason,” said FNCC spokesperson Akhui Ngaomai.

He claimed the current spike in tensions is because of “Kuki militants freely moving around in Naga areas with arms and uniforms”.

“During this conflict between the Kukis and the Meiteis, we have been a neutral community, but we are concerned about the free movement of so many militants in areas that are not their jurisdiction. Earlier this month, they even threatened a leader from Ireng Naga village, which is why we started this blockade against them,” he said.

On their part, leaders from COTU accuse the Naga groups of “creating trouble” and allege that they are in collusion with Meitei groups.

“In the name of acting on poppy cultivation, they are destroying villages. In the last month, there have also been different incidents of them acting against our village volunteers. It seems that this Zeliangrong United Front is trying to create chaos between the Nagas and us so that they can trouble us together with the Meiteis. By targeting our villages, they are trying to encroach on our land,” said COTU spokesperson Thangtinlen Haokip.

Amid these tensions and the joint statement by the UNC and the KIM appealing for peace, leaders from both sides acknowledged that issues remain unsolved but said that the main concern at the moment was preventing an escalation of tensions. While a UNC leader said that claims on land made by Kuki-Zo groups remain unacceptable to them, a KIM leader said that their key concern about the road blockade continues.