Manipur govt restrains circulation of images, videos depicting violence in state

Imphal: The Manipur government on Wednesday night issued an order restraining the circulation of videos and images depicting violence and damage to properties in the strife-torn state.

According to the order, such dissemination will be dealt with severely and booked as per law.

The initiative came after videos and images of widespread violence went viral on social media platforms.

One such video shows two Meitei youths being shot at point blank and then being buried in a pit by a group of people speaking Kuki language. The location of the incident site and the place of the burial is, however, not known.

The order issued by the Manipur Home Department stated, "The state government views very seriously and with utmost sensitivity the reported spread of videos and images depicting violent activities, inflicting harm or injury to (any)body or damage to private and public properties through various social media platforms which may aggravate the law-and-order situation in the state”.

"The state government after thorough examination of the matter has decided to restrain the act of spreading such videos and images as a positive step towards bringing normalcy in the state," it said.

Anyone in possession of such videos or images can approach the nearest superintendent of police irrespective of jurisdiction and submit them for taking appropriate action, the order further said.

Any person found violating the order will be booked and prosecuted under the law and provision of misuse of technology and will be dealt with under the IPC and IT Act.

In September, mass protests broke out in Imphal valley after images of bodies of two missing youths surfaced on the social media and more than 100 students, mostly girls were injured in the crackdown by the security forces and police on the protestors.

The protest prompted the Centre to send a team of CBI official and four accused were subsequently arrested by the CBI team. They were taken to Guwahati for further investigation and legal procedures.

The northeastern state witnessed ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki tribe since May 3 this year. The violence had erupted after demands by the Meiteis for tribe status.

With inputs from PTI