BHOPAL: Bhopal Police warned on Friday that those booked for spreading rumours and communal hatred on social media will be banned from all social media platforms for a year and won’t be allowed to use even mobile phones and computers. This is the first time such action is being taken, additional commissioner Sachin Atulkar said. The police commissioner will soon issue the order to this effect, sources said.
The campaign is called ‘Operation Yatharth — Avoid Rumours, Live in Reality’. Five persons were issued notices under section 3 of National Security Act on Friday for allegedly spreading communal hatred on social media.
Atulkar said that over the past two days, four cases have been registered against five people belonging to different communities for promoting enmity between different groups, committing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony and spreading rumours on social media that can disrupt peace and communal harmony in the city. The cases were registered at Mangalwara, Hanumanganj and Katara Hills police stations. The accused are ‘bound’ under CrPC section 108 for a year — banned from posting anything on social media and from using mobile phones and computers. They have been booked under IPC section 153A, which carries a jail term of up to three years.
“It has been noticed in the past few days that many anti-social elements are circulating rumours on social media, creating panic among people. To stop such rumour mongering, ‘Operation Yatharth’ has been launched,” he said.
Police are in regular touch with people so that they do not pay attention to rumours, Atulkar said, adding that more than 500 meetings have been held with the public from the level of beat constable to SHO. Senior police officers are also meeting public representatives and members of various communities. Meetings of mohalla committees and peace committees are being held as well. Police have appealed to people to help police and district administration in maintaining peace and not to spread false information.
