Kukiland: The Kuki Revolutionary Army, or KRA, under the Kuki National Organisation, KNO, has categorically denied allegations and reports circulating in certain news and social media platforms linking the organisation to the killings in Kallenjang on September 26, 2026. In a formal clarification issued from its General Headquarters at Gamnom Camp on September 28, the outfit said the reports published particularly by LIANGMAI POST and NAGA COMMUNITY NEWS are false, baseless and without factual evidence. The statement, signed by the Department of Information and Publicity of KNO/KRA, has been released to set the record straight amid escalating tensions between communities in Tamenglong and Senapati districts following the recent spate of violence along the inter-district boundary areas.
According to the clarification, the KRA has no involvement whatsoever in the Kallenjang incident and the attempt to drag its name into the killings is a deliberate effort to malign the organisation. The KRA stated that based on its own assessment and information from the ground, the killing in Kallenjang is clearly between the Naga themselves, with a strong suspicion involving the Liangmai community. It alleged that certain vested interests within the Liangmai community are trying to bring the Mao and Paomei communities into the ongoing conflict against the Kuki community while simultaneously tarnishing the name of KRA in particular. The organisation said this pattern of false attribution has been observed in the past as well, where unrelated internal disputes are projected as Kuki versus Naga conflict to widen the fault lines.
The KRA emphasized that matters of this nature should be established on the basis of verified facts and evidence, not on rumours circulated on social media. It therefore requested members of the public, media organisations, and all concerned parties to refrain from circulating unverified information or attributing involvement to the organisation without factual evidence. The group said irresponsible reporting without due verification not only defames a particular organisation but also has the potential to incite further violence and disturb the fragile peace in the hill areas of Manipur. It appealed to editors and admins of news pages, particularly those operating community-based news handles, to uphold journalistic ethics and cross-check facts with relevant authorities before publishing sensitive reports related to killings and communal conflict.
The clarification comes against the backdrop of heightened tension in Manipur’s hill districts following the killing of four Kuki civilians in L. Tollen and Longpi villages on September 13, which was observed as Black Day, and subsequent counter-allegations and retaliatory incidents reported from different parts of Tamenglong, Noney and Senapati. In recent days, several social media pages, including LIANGMAI POST and NAGA COMMUNITY NEWS, had alleged that KRA cadres were behind the Kallenjang killings on September 26, a claim that quickly went viral and triggered fresh apprehension among villagers living along the Kuki-Naga inhabited areas. Security forces have since intensified patrolling along NH-37 and interior villages, while civil society organisations from both sides have been urging restraint and verification of facts.
In its statement, the KRA also extended its deepest sympathies to the grieving family of the deceased in Kallenjang and expressed solidarity with the victims. The organisation said it gives full support to the concerned authorities in carrying out a fair and impartial investigation and in bringing the perpetrator to justice. The KRA said it stands for peace and has been maintaining its commitment to the Suspension of Operation agreement and to the process of dialogue for a political solution. It said any attempt to falsely implicate the organisation in criminal acts is not only defamatory but also undermines the ongoing peace process and efforts to restore normalcy in the state which has been reeling under ethnic violence since May 2023.
The KNO/KRA’s denial is expected to be taken seriously by security agencies and media bodies, as the organisation is one of the constituents of the KNO umbrella, which is currently under Suspension of Operation with the Government of India and the Government of Manipur. Observers note that the attempt to involve Mao and Paomei communities, who have largely remained neutral in the recent conflicts, could have serious implications for inter-community relations in northern Manipur. With the KRA now officially distancing itself from the Kallenjang incident and calling for an impartial probe, the onus is now on the investigating agencies to establish the facts through forensic evidence and eyewitness accounts, and on media platforms to avoid sensationalism that could further polarize communities already affected by months of bloodshed and displacement.
