New Delhi: A disturbing video from Manipur has taken social media by storm, leaving the netizens shocked. In the video from the strife-torn state, a group of men can be seen brandishing assault rifles while playing football. The men dressed in fluorescent green jerseys and black shorts, can be seen flaunting their rifles openly on the ground while warming up for a football match.
In the video, the men can be seen juggling a football on their feet while carrying their rifles with a large crowd present in the stands behind them for the match. As per a report in the Times of India, the footage is from a friendly football match played at Nohjang Kipgen Memorial Playground in a village called K Gamnophai in Manipur.
The football match was part of an event in the village that also included cultural activities and traditional dance performances. Nearly 300 people attended the event. A poster of the event in the clip also confirms that the place is Nohjang Kipgen Memorial Playground, which is in the Gamnomphai village, around 30km from the state capital Imphal.
A NDTV report claimed that the video was first shared by Nampi Romeo Hansong, a social media influencer from Manipur Kangpokpi district of Manipur, on his Instagram handle. Though he later deleted the video and posted a short clip of the men playing football with no guns in their hands in the same match, the earlier video was picked up by several social media pages.
Watch men flaunt guns while playing football in Manipur
A video showing men armed with assault rifles openly ‘playing’ football in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district has gone viral.
What’s going on in Manipur 🙄 pic.twitter.com/MNdkmyxAgc
— All India Football (@AllIndiaFtbl) February 6, 2025
Meitei Heritage society demands investigation
In the video, the men, all dressed up in fluorescent green jerseys and black shorts, can be seen carrying AK and M series assault rifles with red ribbons tied around some of the guns, commonly worn by militants of the Kuki National Front (P), or KNF-P, as per NDTV. The video was flagged on X by the Meitei Heritage Society, urging the authorities to investigate men brandishing guns in the open.
“This video of a football tournament in Manipur has gone viral on social media. What is deeply disturbing is the open display of sophisticated weapons by the so called footballers. Or is it a football tournament of Kuki Militants?” asked the Meitei Heritage Society while sharing the video on X. “We urge the authorities to investigate this open display of assault rifles,” it added.
This video of a football tournament in Manipur has gone viral on social media. What is deeply disturbing is the open display of sophisticated weapons by the so called footballers. Or is it a football tournament of Kuki Militants?
We urge the authorities to investigate this… pic.twitter.com/3IC5uY9BkH
— Meitei Heritage Society (@meiteiheritage) February 6, 2025
While it remains unclear when the football match was played, the shocking video from the game has raised serious questions on the law and order situation in Manipur. The state has seen two of its major tribes – the Kukis and Meiteis fight over a range of issues, including a court order favouring the Scheduled Tribe status for the Meiteis since May 2023.
Manipur witnessed unprecedented violence as people from the two tribes clashed against each other in 2023, sparking a huge exodus of families, who either lost their homes in the violence or had to leave in search of safe havens. The state has been in unrest ever since with many still hoping for normalcy to return.
In a shocking video that has gone viral on social media, a group of men can be seen brandishing their assault rifles while playing football in Manipur. Players dressed in fluorescent green jerseys can be seen holding weapons during a football match. Other Sports Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
