IMPHAL, Dec 18: SpaceX founder Elon Musk said Starlink satellite beams were turned off over India, reacting to claims that its device was being used in restive Manipur.
The security forces recently seized some internet devices along with arms and ammunition during a raid in Keirao Khunou in Imphal East district.
The Spear Corps of the Indian Army had shared photos of the items seized on X, and social media users were quick to note that one of the devices had a “Starlink logo” on it.
Pointing to it, an X user posted, “@Starlink is being used by terrorists. Hope, Elon @elonmusk looks into it and help control misuse of this technology.” To this, Musk replied, “This is false. Starlink satellite beams are turned off over India.”
Musk’s Starlink, which provides satellite internet services, does not have a licence to operate in India.
In a post on ‘X’, the Dimapur-headquartered Spear Corps had put out the photos of the items recovered in the search operation that included the internet device with the Starlink logo.
It featured inscriptions of the RPF/PLA.
The recovery of the Starlink-like device has also prompted agencies to investigate how the equipment found its way to the strife-torn state, officials had said.
There is no official confirmation on whether it is a genuine Starlink device.
Notablty, the recovery had been made during a search operation in Imphal East on December 13. Among the items seized from Keirao Khunou were “one internet Satellite Antenna, one internet Satellite router, and 20 meters (approx.) of FTP cables”, according to the state police.
The search operation was carried out jointly by the Indian Army and Assam Rifles in coordination with the Manipur Police in Churachandpur, Chandel, Imphal East and Kagpokpi, it said.
The Spear Corps further said 29 weapons comprising snipers, automatic weapons, rifles, pistols, country-made mortars, single barrel rifles, grenades, ammunition and war-like stores were recovered in the operation.
In a separate post on ‘X’, the Manipur Police said one MA4 assault rifle, one 12-bore gun, one 9 mm pistol, one .32 pistol, five hand grenades, five arming rings, two detonators, 30 5.56 mm ammunition, one internet satellite antenna and one internet satellite router were among those recovered from Keirao Khunou in Imphal East district.
More than 250 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between Meiteis and Kuki-Zo groups in Manipur since May last year. (Agencies)
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