The Vadodara police on Sunday said that the defunct CCTV cameras are being replaced with new ones. (Photo: Bhupendra Rana)
A 45-year-old man was arrested by the Vadodara Crime Branch on Sunday evening for spreading rumours about the installation of CCTV cameras in the city and asking members of the minority community to be aware.
The Vadodara Crime Branch had registered an offence on Friday night against unidentified persons for spreading rumours and causing panic amongst the citizens. In the last two days, the Crime Branch rounded up around 10 people for interrogation. The accused has been identified as Abidullah Anwarulla Khateeb. He works with an online food delivery service.
Three teams of the cyber cell have also been formed to keep tabs on such rumours. According to the police, the accused had been spreading misleading messages via social media asking people to be aware as the city police has been demounting CCTV cameras in the communally sensitive old city area.
The Vadodara police, had however, clarified that the placement of new CCTV cameras is underway which is why the old ones — most of them non-functional — are being removed. The process to install new cameras with high-end technology, including night vision, high definition motion capture amongst others, was started on Saturday. In the first phase 350 cameras will be installed.
The accused had been booked under relevant sections of the Information Technology Act and under IPC section 505 (1) (B) (With intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public, or to any section of the public whereby any person may be induced to commit an offence against the State or against the public tranquillity).