Uttarakhand Police have booked three social media operators for allegedly talking about a change of guard in the state. The state information department shared the information, stating that the booked social media operators were trying to spread misleading information on the change of chief minister by the BJP leadership in Uttarakhand.
“Dehradun police on Saturday booked administrators of three Facebook pages following a complaint filed by the BJP District President Siddharth Agarwal. A probe taken up by the police revealed that misleading posts regarding the replacement of the chief minister by the BJP’s central leadership in Uttarakhand were circulated from the Facebook pages identified as ‘I Love My Uttarakhand Sanskriti’ ‘Uttarakhand Wale’, and ‘Janta Jan Andolan Irritade.’ Cases were registered against administrators of all three pages, and strict legal action is being taken,” said the State Department of Information and Public Relations in its statement issued on Sunday.
According to the statement, “Uttarakhand police are now in action mode against those spreading rumours about the replacement of the chief minister amidst the state’s disaster relief efforts. The police have started cracking down on the people misleading the public by circulating false information on social media.”
DIPR also warned social media content creators to refrain from fanning out alleged misleading information on the change of guard in Uttarakhand, else they will not be spared from strict legal actions. “Social media miscreants are being categorically warned that strict legal action will be taken against them if they spread rumors or post misleading content. The state police are continuously monitoring social media,” said the DIPR.
Several areas in Uttarakhand are reeling under rain-related disasters, and rescue works are in progress in the most affected districts of Bageshwar, Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, and Pithoragarh. “Spreading false news about the change of chief minister during difficult times not only disrupts relief and rescue operations but also impacts government work and the administrative system,” the statement added.