An image of a protest march against narco-terrorism in Manipur is being shared on social media misleadingly claiming that it shows Meiteis protesting against the arrests made in the Manipur video case.
BOOM found that the photo is from a protest rally against narco-terrorism which was held in Manipur's capital Imphal on July 29.
According to reports, police officials made the seventh arrest on July 25 in connection with the horrific video that surfaced online on July 19. The video shows extremely disturbing visuals of two women being stripped of by a mob and paraded naked; one among them was reportedly gangraped. The incident took place on May 4 in Kangpokpi district. Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation on July 28 officially took charge of the probe related to the video.
In a now deleted tweet, Sweden-based professor Ashok Swain wrote, "Protest rally in Manipur by the majoritarian Meitei group against the arrest of those who had publicly paraded and sexually assaulted Kuki women. Modi has made Manipur another Gujarat!"
Click here to view the photo.
Several Facebook users took a screenshot of the tweet and posted it amplifying the same false claim.
Click here view the post.
Other users also shared the photo on Facebook making a similar false claim.
Click here to view one such post.
The image was also published by Siasat with a similar false claim. Click here to view its archive.
Fact Check
BOOM performed a reverse image search on the photo and found an article published by Imphal Times on July 29, 2023, carrying the same image.
The article carried the headline, "COCOMI’s Rally Strengthens Stand Against Chin Kuki Narco-Terrorists; Warns MLAs And Ministers Of Serious Consequences If Fails To Take Resolutions For Protection Of Manipur At State Assembly Before August 5".
The report stated that the rally was organised by the Co-ordinating Committee for Manipur's Integrity (COCOMI) to reaffirm their stand against Chin Kuki Narco-Terrorism. The rally began from Thangmeiband's THAU ground and proceeded towards Thumbuthong in Imphal on July 29 where a public meeting was held.
We also noticed the image closely where the protestors can be seen holding a banner with the text "MASS RALLY AGAINST CHIN-KUKI NARCO-TERRORISM".
Northeast Live reported about the rally on July 29, 2023. An excerpt from the article reads, "A sea of people swarmed the streets of Manipur’s capital city Imphal today demanding that the government put a stop to narco-terrorism as well as opposing the demand for a ‘Separate Administration.’ The agitators proceeded from the Thau ground in Thangmeiband till Hapta Kangjeibung in support of their demands."
Manipur-based news channel TOM TV also covered the incident and uploaded a video on their official YouTube channel on July 29, 2023. It can be seen below.
Protest against arrest of accused in horror video
According to a report by Imphal Free Press the Thoubal district Apunba Club and Meira paibis on July 28 organised a protest rally condemning the arrest of the several accused in the viral video case. The report stated that the protestors went to the Thoubal Deputy Commissioner Office holding placards in support of Meiteis in the state.