The Football Players Association Kangpokpi (FPAK) has vehemently denounced what it termed a “malicious and fabricated campaign” to brand an injured professional footballer as a militant, saying the allegations amount to a grave injustice against a victim recovering from severe bomb splinter injuries sustained during the recent attack on Leilon Munlui village in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district.
The association expressed its “deepest outrage” over allegations levelled against footballer Paogoulal Chongloi, one of three civilians injured in the June 15 attack, which it alleged was carried out by NSCN-IM and ZUF-K militants.
Rejecting the accusations as “reckless, defamatory and irresponsible,” FPAK said attempts to portray an injured athlete as a militant represented a deliberate effort to criminalise an innocent victim of violence at a time when he was fighting for recovery and medical treatment.
“Labelling a professional footballer as a militant is not merely false—it is a direct assault on truth, justice and the dignity of sport,” the association said.
FPAK highlighted Chongloi’s football career, describing him as a dedicated athlete who rose through the ranks of Football for Change Academy before progressing to the youth system of RoundGlass Punjab FC and later training at the prestigious Minerva Football Academy. Returning home, he continued his development with Sadar Hills Football Academy before subsequently earning a place in the Under-18 squad of Mohun Bagan Super Giant. He remains under contract with the club until 2027, the statement said.
The association noted that the three victims represented different sections of society—a professional footballer, an internally displaced person, and a student—and questioned efforts to link them with militant activities despite their civilian backgrounds.
FPAK stated that the false narrative campaign against the injured youths, coupled with attempts to obstruct and disrupt their emergency medical treatment at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Imphal, before they were shifted to Churachandpur for further care, was deeply unfortunate.
“A footballer carrying the aspirations of countless young sports enthusiasts, an innocent student, and a displaced civilian are now battling injuries while facing a cruel campaign of misinformation,” the association said.
Describing the episode as a disturbing attempt to vilify victims instead of focusing on the perpetrators of violence, FPAK urged authorities to ensure that medical treatment remains free from political interference, prejudice, and obstruction.
The association further called on the government and security agencies to uphold justice, protect human dignity, and take steps to prevent what it termed the “weaponisation of false narratives” against civilians injured in conflict-related incidents.
The statement comes amid heightened tensions following the Leilon Munlui attack, which left three persons seriously injured and triggered strong condemnation from several Kuki civil society organisations and community bodies across the region
