Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Cyber Police has arrested over seven people for uploading fake news reports on social media networking sites while a couple of offenders are still at large.
Superintendent of Police, Cyber Police, Tahir Ashraf said that they have registered eight FIRs against those who have posted fake news reports and videos. He said these cases have been registered against offenders hailing from Handwara, Dooru, Srinagar, Beerwah, Sopore, Kupwara, and other parts.
“Cyber Police Kashmir is monitoring all the profiles and the content being uploaded by the users [on social media],” he said. “We are exploring the possibilities of invoking all the appropriate provisions of law available against such users.”
Ashraf further added that they take prompt action whenever they find anyone misusing the social media. “One of the examples is morphed picture of Lal Chowk, Ghanta Ghar, Srinagar was shown with the flag of Pakistan-administered-Kashmir uploaded on facebook,” he said adding that swift action was initiated against the user.
Ashraf told about an incident where an user in Handwara had posted on WhatsApp that the government forces killed two youth in fake encounter.
“An old video in Srinagar was uploaded showing that 3 civilians were killed and 30 injured. In Beerwah, fake news was uploaded with regard to diagnosis of COVID-19 patient,” he said. “In Kupwara, fake and manipulated contents of information displaying propaganda against administration and security forces were uploaded on Twitter.”
“Similarly, some miscreants uploaded fabricated document related to record of proceedings of Supreme Court of India disclosing restoration of internet service,” he said, adding that they are tracking both known and unknown users posting fake news reports and videos. (KNT)
