Commissioner, Home, T. Ranjit Singh in a notification said there are high chances that some anti-social elements might use social media extensively for transmission of images, hate speech and hate video messages inciting the passions of the public which might have serious repercussions for the law-and-order situation in Manipur.“……also elements of imminent danger of loss of life and /or damage to public/private property, and wide spread disturbances to public tranquility and communal harmony, as a result of inflammatory material and false rumours, which be transmitted/circulated to the public through social media/ messaging services on mobile services, SMS services and dongle services specially in the context of the recent incidents of violence in some parts of the state,” the notification said.
The Home Department extended the mobile Internet ban thrice in less than two weeks.
In view of massive students’ agitation, the Manipur government on September 26, two days after the ban was lifted after 143 days, again suspended mobile Internet data services, internet/data services and after each five days, the ban had been extended.
On Sunday the mobile internet ban was extended for three days.
After the devastating ethnic violence broke out between the non-tribal Meitei and tribal Kuki communities on May 3, mobile internet was banned in the entire state.