Imphal, May 05: The Indian Army has issued a warning about fake videos circulating on social media regarding the security situation in Manipur. The videos include one of an alleged attack on an Assam Rifles post and are being circulated by “inimical elements for vested interests,” according to the army.
The army urged citizens to rely only on content from official and verified sources as they worked to quell the ethnic violence in the northeastern state.
The violence began when tribal Kuki groups called for protests against a proposed change to the state’s reservation matrix, which would grant scheduled tribe (ST) status to the majority Meitei community. Clashes broke out in Churachandpur town on Wednesday, and violence quickly spread across the state, resulting in the displacement of thousands of people who fled their burning homes and neighborhoods.
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To combat the situation, Governor Anusuiya Uikey issued strict orders to tackle the worsening security situation.
A copy of the order signed by commissioner (home) T Ranjit Singh directed district magistrates, subdivisional magistrates, executive magistrates, and special executive magistrates to “issue shoot-at-sight orders in extreme cases whereby all forms of persuasion, warning, reasonable force, etc. had been exhausted under provisions of law…and the situation could not be controlled.”
The violence continued till late on Thursday evening, despite the efforts of thousands of army and paramilitary personnel marching through the deserted streets of the violence-hit towns to restore peace.
However, the Indian Army reported that the security situation in Moreh and Kangpokpi was under control, and efforts were underway to restore normalcy in Imphal and Churachandpur. As a precaution, the army continued to build up additional troops in Manipur, with additional columns also redeployed from Nagaland.
Additionally, the Indian Air Force will be undertaking flying operations to induct additional Indian Army columns commencing tonight from Assam. The situation in Manipur remains tense, and the army has urged citizens to be cautious and rely only on official and verified sources of information to avoid the spread of fake news and misinformation.
