📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Bollywood Hungama
Technology
Times Now uses AI to reenact murder of Manipur folk singer, family protests
✍️ Newslaundry
🗓 10 Sep 2026, 03:33 PM
👁 45
Times Now aired AI‑generated clips that depict the killing of a Manipur folk musician, prompting grief and criticism from the artist’s relatives.
Times Now, a leading English‑language news channel, broadcast a series of artificial‑intelligence generated video clips that recreate the fatal shooting of a folk musician from Manipur. The clips, presented as a visual reconstruction of the incident, have drawn sharp rebuke from the artist’s family, who say the footage exploits their grief and violates the deceased's dignity.
The musician, known for his contributions to traditional Manipuri music, was shot in an incident that remains under police investigation. While the channel claims the AI recreation was intended to help viewers understand the sequence of events, critics argue that the approach skirts ethical boundaries and could set a dangerous precedent for media coverage of violent crimes.
Legal experts note that Indian law does not yet specifically address AI‑generated depictions of real‑world crimes, leaving a gray area that may invite future regulation. Meanwhile, the family has appealed to the channel to withdraw the material and to respect the mourning process.
The episode adds to a growing debate in India about the responsible use of generative AI in journalism, especially when it involves sensitive subjects such as murder, communal tension, or personal trauma.
The musician, known for his contributions to traditional Manipuri music, was shot in an incident that remains under police investigation. While the channel claims the AI recreation was intended to help viewers understand the sequence of events, critics argue that the approach skirts ethical boundaries and could set a dangerous precedent for media coverage of violent crimes.
Legal experts note that Indian law does not yet specifically address AI‑generated depictions of real‑world crimes, leaving a gray area that may invite future regulation. Meanwhile, the family has appealed to the channel to withdraw the material and to respect the mourning process.
The episode adds to a growing debate in India about the responsible use of generative AI in journalism, especially when it involves sensitive subjects such as murder, communal tension, or personal trauma.