Amid the ethnic conflict, the Manipur government on Wednesday banned the spread of videos and pictures depicting violence on social media.
It noted that it had taken cognisance of reports that such pictures were allegedly being spread to “facilitate and/or to mobilise mobs of agitators and demonstrators, which may aggravate the law and order situation in the State”.
Violators will be booked and prosecuted without any exceptions, the government said, also encouraging the general public to be aware of such persons and report them to the police with information they might have.
This comes after small windows of Internet connectivity have often led to the discovery of months-old heinous crimes committed during the ethnic conflict, in several of the cases, leading to reactionary escalation of violence or widespread anti-government protests.
Manipur has been in the middle of an ethnic conflict between the dominant valley-based Meitei people and the Scheduled Tribe hill-based Kuki-Zomi people since May 3 this year. Around 180 people have been killed in the violence so far.
An order issued by the Home department on Wednesday said such videos and pictures which show harm or injury being caused to persons or damage to public and private properties were being spread through WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), etc. in addition to bulk SMSs being sent.
“The State government, after a thorough examination of the matter, has decided to restrain act of spreading such videos/ images/ pictures as a positive step towards bringing normalcy in the State,” the Home department order said.
It said nobody in the State would be allowed to share any such videos, pictures or materials on any electronic device like mobile phones, laptops, computers, tablets, etc. The government added that if anyone were to be in possession of such materials, they should hand this over to the nearest Superintendent of Police irrespective of jurisdiction for appropriate legal action.
“Anyone misusing technology for inciting violence/ hatred shall also be dealt with appropriately under relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act and Rules and IPC. General public is also advised to beware of such persons and activities and report to the Superintendents of Police of their districts about any such information that they may have,” the order said.
