Imphal, May 16 (KMS): In India, a journalist and a political activist have been arrested in Manipur for writing social media posts on the death of a senior BJP leader due to COVID-19.
Manipur-based journalist Kishorechandra Wangkhem and political activist Erendro Leichombam were arrested by Indian police from their houses after the state BJP vice-president, Usham Deban, and general secretary P Premananda Meetei filed a complaint against them.
The BJP-led government in Manipur has filed case against them and have been sent to police custody till May 17.
According to the complaint, the duo had posted comments over the death of Saikhom Tikendra Singh, the state BJP president. “Cow dung and cow urine don’t work,” they said.
The journalist, Mr Wangkhem, had been arrested twice in two different cases over his social media posts. The BJP-led government in Manipur had pressed charges of sedition under the National Security Act (NSA) against him.
Last week, some photographs of a group of people smearing their bodies with cow dung to ward off the virus were widely circulated on social media. Experts say there is no evidence that suggests cow dung is effective against the virus.