The Manipur government has condemned the circulation of a doctored audio clip falsely attributed to Chief Minister N Biren Singh, calling it a deliberate attempt to disrupt ongoing peace efforts in the violence-stricken state.

The audio, which contains inflammatory remarks against a specific community, was shared widely on social media, raising concerns about its potential to incite further unrest.

In an official statement, the government highlighted that the audio clip is a malicious fabrication aimed at undermining the fragile peace that the state has been striving to restore through multiple initiatives.

“It has come to the notice of the government that an audio recording, falsely claiming to be that of the Chief Minister, is being circulated on social media platforms. This doctored audio is a malicious attempt by certain sections to incite communal violence or derail the process of peace,” the statement read.

The Manipur Police have launched an investigation to trace the source of the audio and identify those responsible for this defamatory campaign.

The authorities have vowed to take strict legal action against all individuals and organisations involved in the dissemination of the fake clip.

As tensions in Manipur remain high due to the ongoing ethnic conflicts, the government has urged the public to exercise caution and refrain from sharing unverified information.

The statement emphasised the importance of maintaining peace and harmony among the state’s diverse communities, stating that any actions threatening the peace process will be met with zero tolerance.

In recent months, Manipur has been grappling with ethnic violence that has claimed numerous lives and displaced thousands.

The state government, in collaboration with central authorities and local leaders, has been working on various initiatives to restore normalcy and foster reconciliation among the affected communities. However, incidents like the spread of this doctored audio clip pose significant challenges to these efforts.

The government has called on social media platforms to take responsibility by swiftly removing the fake audio and monitoring content that could incite violence or spread misinformation.

Additionally, the state government has appealed to the citizens to verify the authenticity of information before sharing it, urging them to contribute positively to the peace-building process.