Manipur Football Match Video Shows Players Carrying Assault Rifles, Raising Concerns

A viral video from a football match in Manipur's Kangpokpi district shows men in sports gear wielding assault rifles, prompting calls for investigation.

A video depicts men in football jerseys carrying AK-series and M-series assault rifles while playing football in Manipur's Kangpokpi district.
The footage, initially posted by influencer Nampi Romeo Hansong, included a poster identifying the event location as Nohjang Kipgen Memorial Playground in Gamnomphai village.
The jerseys featured the word 'Sanakhang,' and one player had 'Ginna Kipgen' written on his back along with the number 15.
The video, which also showed cultural performances and armed men in military-style uniforms, has drawn attention to the Kuki National Front (P), an armed group linked to the area.
Civil society groups, including the Meitei Heritage Society, have urged authorities to investigate the public display of firearms and its potential connection to ongoing ethnic tensions in the region.