Manipur's Fragile Peace Tested: Viral Video of Kuki Militants Halting Bus in Ukhrul Exposes Security Gaps Amid SoO Extension

Ukhrul/Imphal: Just days after the Government of India extended the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with Kuki-Zo insurgent groups in a bid to restore normalcy, particularly on Manipur's vital national highways, a chilling viral video has surfaced, showing armed Kuki militants stopping a passenger bus in Molnom village, Ukhrul district. The incident, which occurred on September 8 as the bus headed from Sinakeithel towards Imphal, has ignited widespread panic among commuters and reignited fears of targeted violence against Meitei travelers, highlighting the volatile security landscape in the ethnic conflict-torn state.

Image: Panaromic view of Sinakeithei

Image: An armed Militant boarding bus after halting it

Image: Another armed Militant catch up on the passenger bus

The footage, first shared on a Facebook page called Zokhan Khaul with the ominous caption "Free Movement at your own risk," depicts a group of heavily armed men in combat fatigues boarding the bus and methodically seizing mobile phones from terrified passengers.

Eyewitnesses recounted how the militants, suspected to be from a Kuki insurgent outfit under the SoO pact, interrogated passengers after one individual was allegedly spotted photographing a nearby militant camp in Molnom. The group scoured the devices for any images or recordings of the camp before returning them, firing blank rounds into the air to assert dominance and disperse the crowd. No injuries were reported, but the episode left commuters in a state of sheer terror, with several describing it as a "near-death experience" amid the ongoing ethnic strife that has claimed over 260 lives since May 3, 2023."

This is not freedom of movement; it's a license for these armed groups to terrorize innocent people," said one passenger, speaking anonymously to Waari Singbul. "We trusted the government's assurances that the highways were safe, but now we're second-guessing every trip." The bus, carrying mostly non-Meitei passengers from the Tangkhul-dominated Sinakeithei village—about 42 km from Imphal—was halted at a makeshift checkpoint, highlighting how even peripheral routes in Naga-inhabited Ukhrul remain perilous. The timing of the incident could not be more ironic or damning. On September 4, the Centre, Manipur government, and Kuki groups under the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and United People's Front (UPF)—umbrella bodies for 24 insurgent outfits—signed a renewed tripartite SoO pact, extending it for one year with revised ground rules aimed at curbing violence and ensuring free movement on National Highway-2 (NH-2), the state's primary supply lifeline.

Video: This video viral on social media is said to be in Malnom village way to Sinakeitheil, today around 1-2 pm today.

The agreement, first inked in 2008 and renewed annually until it lapsed in February 2024 amid accusations of violations during the ethnic clashes, explicitly commits signatories to renounce violence, respect Manipur's territorial integrity, and relocate weapons to designated camps monitored by the CRPF and BSF. In exchange, security forces agreed to halt operations against compliant groups, paving the way for tripartite talks toward a political settlement.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) hailed the pact as a "confidence-building measure" ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's anticipated visit to Manipur on September 13—his first since the violence erupted.

It also facilitated the Kuki-Zo Council's decision to lift blockades on NH-2, which had been enforced since May 2023 to prohibit Meitei travel through Kuki-dominated areas, exacerbating shortages of essentials in the Imphal valley. Chief Secretary Dr. Vineet Kumar Goel emphasized on September 5 that the government would enforce all provisions, including stringent verification of cadres to weed out foreign nationals from Myanmar's Chin-Kuki community, and warned that violations would trigger a review of the pact.

Yet, the Molnom video—now circulating widely on platforms like X (formerly Twitter)—has brutally vindicated the deepest anxieties of Meitei civil society groups, who had vehemently opposed the extension.

Image: Armed militant group hold up the passenger bus while their colleagues confiscate the passenger mobile phones

The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), a prominent Meitei apex body, labeled the pact "illegitimate and anti-people" on September 5, arguing it grants impunity to "Chin-Kuki narco-terrorist groups" accused of instigating the 2023 clashes and ongoing extortion rackets.

Critics like Manipur MP Angomcha Bimol Akoijam have questioned whether the deal amounts to a "clean chit" for past atrocities, including the alleged targeting of Meiteis on highways, and demanded transparency on how it aligns with the state's democratic will under President's Rule.

The episode echoes the worst fears: that once Meiteis venture onto reopened highways, placing faith in government assurances, armed militants could single them out, drag them off vehicles, and execute them—as seen in prior incidents like the Jiribam massacre.

Image: Road leading to Imphal from Sinakeithei

Thadou Inpi Manipur, representing another tribal group, reiterated demands to scrap the SoO entirely, pointing to recent killings like that of Thadou leader Nehkam Jomhao by Kuki militants in August.

As the video garners thousands of views and shares, calls for accountability are mounting. Local activists and passengers are urging the Manipur Police, Assam Rifles, and MHA to register a formal case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, investigate the militants' identities, and hold perpetrators accountable. The Manipur State Human Rights Commission should probe the incident as a potential violation of commuter rights and the SoO ground rules. "If the government wants to win back public trust, it must act decisively now," said a COCOMI spokesperson. "Otherwise, this 'free movement' narrative will collapse, dragging Manipur deeper into chaos. "Security forces have yet to issue an official response, but sources indicate heightened patrols along Ukhrul routes. With PM Modi's visit looming, the Molnom standoff serves as a stark reminder that Manipur's peace hangs by a thread—one that armed impunity could snap at any moment.