UKHRUL: A video showing armed individuals firing assault rifles into the air during New Year celebrations has gone viral on social media, raising fresh concerns over the public display of weapons in Manipur.
In the footage, a man speaking in a Kuki dialect is seen brandishing an assault rifle and firing several rounds into the air. Two other individuals, including a woman speaking similar dialect, are also seen firing weapons during what appears to be a New Year’s Eve celebration.
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Based on the visuals and local inputs, the video is suspected to have been shot in the Kangpokpi area, though there has been no official confirmation so far regarding the location or the identities of those involved.
The video has circulated widely across social media platforms, drawing sharp reactions amid broader issues in Manipur over conflict management, including disagreements surrounding the Suspension of Operations (SoO) framework with Kuki-affiliated groups.
In September 2025, the Government of India announced an extension and revision of the SoO agreement with Kuki-Zo groups, even as Manipur remained under extended President’s Rule. Under the renewed arrangement, major Kuki umbrella organisations such as the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and the United People’s Front (UPF) continued as signatories.
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The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), a prominent Meitei civil body, denounced the 2025 extension, terming it “illegitimate.” COCOMI argued that the decision undermined democratic processes and legitimised armed groups allegedly involved in criminal and narcotics-linked activities. COCOMI pointed out that the Manipur Legislative Assembly had adopted a resolution in February 2024 urging the termination of the SoO agreement, which, it claimed, was disregarded during President’s Rule.
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Similarly, Thadou Inpi Manipur, representing a major non-Kuki tribal community, formally petitioned the Government of India seeking the complete termination of the SoO pact. The organisation maintained that the agreement had failed to restore peace and instead shielded armed factions, while contributing to structural and political injustices affecting non-Kuki communities.
Other civil bodies, including the Federal Naga Coordination Committee (FNCC), have also raised concerns, particularly over land rights and the perceived expansion of SoO-linked territorial influence in hill districts. The FNCC warned that such developments could have long-term implications for inter-community relations and traditional land ownership patterns.
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While security forces continue to conduct search operations and area domination in fringe and vulnerable areas across valley districts and foothills, with arrests and recovery of arms and ammunition from individuals — including the neutralisation of 27 (twenty-seven) country-made bombs on January 1, at a safe spot near the Monglham village area under Thoubal Dam Police Station in Imphal East district by Manipur Police — so far, security agencies have not issued a formal statement on the New Year firing incident.