Fact Check: Photo Of Injured Woman Breastfeeding Child Is Unrelated to Ongoing Manipur Violence

New Delhi (Vishvas News) – A photograph of an injured woman breastfeeding her child is circulating on social media with the claims that it is related to the ongoing violence in Manipur. Vishvas News investigated and found that this viral picture has been available on the internet since 2021, and it is unrelated to the current Manipur violence.

What is in the viral post?

The viral post was shared by a Twitter user ‘Namaste Bharat’ on June 18, with the caption: “One of the saddest and most painful pictures I have seen till date during the Manipur crisis. May peace prevail soon. #motherhood #manipurburning #Manipurviolence #manipur_violence #manipurriots #manipuronfire #manipurburning”

Investigation

We searched for this photo using Google reverse image and found it uploaded on a Facebook page on September 30, 2021, with a claim that it was from Myanmar. The accompanying text suggested that this woman had been allegedly attacked by Myanmar’s People’s Defense Force (PDF) men during the Myanmar insurgency.

We found the same image uploaded on a Twitter handle on February 22, 2022, where the Myanmar military was allegedly termed responsible for the atrocities on this woman.

Since the results were not yet conclusive, we continued our search. We came across the same picture uploaded on various Facebook pages in 2021, with contradictory claims that it was from Cambodia or Thailand.

While Vishvas News cannot independently verify the exact location of the image, it is evident that the picture has been circulating on the internet since 2021 and thus possibly cannot have any connection with the ongoing Manipur violence, which began only in May this year.

To confirm our findings, we reached out to James Khangenbam, a freelance journalist covering the Manipur violence. James confirmed that the viral image is unrelated to the ongoing situation in Manipur.

Violence broke out in Manipur after ethnic clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities on May 3. According to reports, the death toll is over 100. More details on the current Manipur situation can be read in news reports here, and here.

We scanned the profile of the Twitter page ‘Namaste Bharat’. The user is a resident of Lucknow. He has 86 followers on Twitter.

Conclusion: A photograph showing an injured woman breastfeeding a child being linked to the current Manipur violence is old and present online in various posts since at least 2021; and thus has no relation to the ongoing strife in Manipur.

Tags

• Manipur Violence