Aizawl: A controversial Instagram comment posted following the death of a 23-year-old woman from Mizoram triggered outrage on social media, leading to the filing of a cybercrime complaint and condemnation from an activist group.
The controversy began after news pages on Instagram reported the death of Nl. Zonuntluangi of Thingsulthliah, who died in a road accident on the night of May 14. Under one such post uploaded by Zalen News, an individual identified online as Suanmuanlal from Churachandpur, Manipur allegedly commented, “Quick while the body’s still warm,” followed by emojis.
Screenshots of the comment quickly spread across social media platform and drew criticism from users who said the remark was disrespectful toward the deceased and her grieving family.
An FIR has since been filed by an individual close to the victim, requesting intervention by the Cyber Crime Cell. According to the complaint, the statement was “extremely disrespectful, inhumane, emotionally distressing, and appears to promote sexual misconduct and harassment toward a deceased person.”
The complaint further alleged that instead of deleting the comment or expressing remorse after public backlash, the individual continued interacting with users in a mocking manner, allegedly referring to the situation as “rage bait” and dismissing criticism from grieving friends and members of the public.
The FIR also stated that while the complaint was being prepared, the individual allegedly deleted the original comment, changed his Instagram username, and made his account private following public outrage. However, screenshots of the comments had already been preserved by users before removal.
“The behaviour appeared deliberate and attention-seeking despite the emotional distress caused to the deceased’s loved ones and the public,” the complaint stated, urging the Cyber Crime Cell to identify the individual through digital records and investigate the matter thoroughly.
The issue later drew the attention of the Centre for Environment & Social Justice (CESJ), which released a strong statement condemning the comments.
CESJ stated that it was in the process of tracing the individual’s address and contact details for further legal action and claimed that Mizoram Cyber Police had already begun preliminary steps in the matter. According to the organisation, police had identified the individual as being from Churachandpur and had also been provided with his phone number.
The organisation alleged that the comments not only disrespected the deceased but also deeply hurt the sentiments of the Mizo public.
In a statement issued on May 18, CESJ rejected what it described as an attempted clarification or justification issued by Suanmuanlal. According to CESJ, if the individual had genuinely intended to express concern regarding emergency medical response or CPR assistance, he could have done so clearly in his original comments. However, the organisation stated that other comments attributed to him suggested otherwise.
Following mounting backlash, Suanmuanlal released a public explanation claiming his comment had been misunderstood. In the statement, he said his intention was not sexual or vulgar, but rather to express frustration that emergency responders had failed to attempt CPR while the victim’s body was “still warm.”
He also cited other comments he had allegedly made earlier, including remarks criticizing speeding and reckless driving, claiming these had not been included in viral screenshots circulating online.
However, activists and social media users continued disputing this explanation, arguing that the tone and wording of the comments, along with his alleged responses afterward, contradicted his later clarification.
Further updates are awaited regarding the FIR and any official action by the Cyber Crime authorities.
