In a bid to mitigate further violence, the Manipur
Government led by CM N Biren Singh has prohibited the circulation of videos and
images depicting violence and damage to properties in the State.
Such dissemination will be dealt with severely and people
committing such act will be booked as per law, said the State Government in an
order on the night of Wednesday. The order came amid viral social media videos and
images of widespread violence.
One such video surfaced where two Meitei youths are
seen 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, unknown.
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, stated the order.
Any person found violating the order will be booked
and prosecuted under the law and provision of misuse of technology. They will
be dealt with under the IPC and IT Act.
In September mass protests broke out in Imphal Valley
after images of the bodies of two missing youths surfaced on 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
officials and four accused were subsequently arrested by the CBI team.
They were taken to Guwahati for further questioning and
legal procedures.
The northeastern state witnessed ethnic violence
between the Meitei and Kuki tribes since May 3 this year.
The violence had erupted after demands by the Meiteis
for tribe status.
PTI
