In a recent move, the state government of Manipur has banned the circulation of photos and videos depicting violent activities in the state. The authorities have declared their intention to file cases against individuals who share such images or videos.

This decision comes in response to a troubling incident that occurred three days ago when a video depicting a man’s body being set on fire in a trench emerged on social media platforms. Police investigations subsequently revealed that the video in question dates back to May 4.

This unsettling episode follows a prior incident where a video depicting two Kuki women being paraded without clothing in Manipur amidst the ongoing violence had circulated widely.

The state government asserts that such photos and videos possess the potential to incite and mobilize agitators, thereby exacerbating concerns surrounding the maintenance of law and order. In their pursuit of restoring normalcy, the government considers this prohibition on the sharing of such material as a vital and constructive measure.

In a complementary move to curb the dissemination of disturbing content, the Manipur government has decided to extend the suspension of mobile data Internet services until October 16. The objective behind this decision is to prevent the use of social media for the transmission of images, hate speech, and hateful video messages, as these could significantly impact the state’s law and order situation.

It’s essential to recall that the initial suspension of mobile data services occurred on May 3 due to ethnic violence, followed by the subsequent suspension of all internet services across the state. This internet service suspension has continued since then, significantly affecting communication and the sharing of information.

However, on September 23, there was a brief respite when the Manipur government lifted the ban on mobile data services. Regrettably, this relief was short-lived, as the ban was reimposed on September 26. This reinstatement aims to ‘maintain a stable environment’ in the state, as the Manipur government remains deeply concerned about the potential repercussions that could arise from the dissemination of violent content and hate speech, according to officials.