Fake post on social media triggers panic

During the last couple of days an alarming post has been doing the rounds on social media, claiming to be from the Circle Inspector, Kollam East.

According to it, a large number of criminals from northern India has landed in Kerala with a view to looting homes and individuals during the holy month of Ramzan.

It warns the public about nearly one lakh thieves who have reached Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kochi, Kannur, and Kozhikode in the last one week.

“When the police investigated the unusual inflow, it was found that they plan to beg and rob during Ramzan since many will be physically weak due to dawn-to-dusk fasting,” it said.

The post also advises women not to open doors or offer alms to such persons. As the post began to be circulated widely, triggering panic, the department intervened and issued a clarification dismissing the alert as fake.

Officers at the East police station said their had been many calls since the news hit social media and they were struggling to handle the flood of queries.

“We have received hundreds of calls asking about the alert, the misinformation has generated a lot of anxiety among the public,” said an officer.

On Wednesday, the police headquarters released a press note saying no such warning had been issued by the Kollam East Police and the content of the post was fabricated.

Case registered

State Police Chief Loknath Behera instructed the District Police Chief to register a case at the Kollam East police station. “We have already registered a case and are investigating. It is false alert with forged seal and signature and there is no need to panic,” said Kollam Police Chief A. Sreenivas.