A man dressed in a fluorescent green football jersey, knee-high socks, and running shorts walked towards the camera, seemingly ready for a football match on a dusty field. However, instead of just sporting gear, he carried two automatic assault rifles—one slung over his shoulder and the other in his hand. As he raised the weapon, he laughed.
According to NDTV report, this unusual scene was part of a viral video originally posted on Instagram by social media influencer Nampi Romeo Hansong from Manipur's Kangpokpi district.
The clip shows several men dressed in football kits wielding AK-series and American-origin M-series assault rifles while casually kicking a football around. Notably, red ribbons were tied around the barrels of the guns.
The video has sparked outrage, particularly among civil society groups. The Meitei Heritage Society, a community organization, took to social media platform X to demand an investigation into the incident.
Assault Rifles at Manipur football match
An event poster visible in the footage indicated that the match took place at the Nohjang Kipgen Memorial Playground, K Gamnomphai. The football jerseys featured the word ‘Sanakhang’ on the front, while one of the men carrying an AK rifle had ‘Ginna Kipgen’ written on the back of his jersey, sporting the number 15.The report further said that the tournament began on January 20
Following widespread attention, Hansong deleted the original Instagram video, which had the watermark ‘Kukiland’ and a hashtag with his name. He later re-uploaded a shorter version, this time excluding the scenes of men carrying weapons.
The rest of the footage showcased cultural performances and moments from the football match. However, towards the end, armed men in dark green military-style uniforms were seen dancing at the venue. Their helmets and shoulder patches bore a red logo often associated with the Kuki National Front (P) (KNF-P), an armed group active in Kangpokpi.
