Manipur Police warn against circulating videos of panicked students during protest to prevent escalation

Manipur Police have issued a stern warning against the circulation of videos depicting panicked students during a recent protest in Imphal East. The announcement comes in the wake of a rally that turned violent on August 1, forcing police forces to use tear gas to control the crowd.

According to a statement released by the Manipur Police on social media, the incident occurred at Akampat in Imphal East district. "The crowd turned unruly and started attacking police vehicles and pelted stones. The police had to resort to firing minimum rounds of tear gas shells to control the unruly crowd," the statement read.

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In the aftermath of the event, videos began circulating on social media showing students in a state of panic inside classrooms. The police have taken a strong stance against the spread of these images, viewing them as potentially inflammatory.

"Some people made videos of students being panicked in classrooms and circulated in social media with the intention of spreading panic amongst the public and students," the police statement noted. Authorities have expressed concern that such content could escalate tensions in an already volatile situation.

The police have appealed to the public to refrain from sharing these videos, emphasising the potential legal consequences. "It is appealed to the public not to do such things for creating panic among the general masses, else strict legal action will be taken," the statement warned.