6 cases by cyber cell against hate mongers on social media

Soumitra Bose | TNN | Apr 6, 2020, 04:07 IST

Nagpur: Eleven people have been arrested in 20 offences registered across the state by cyber cell units against communal hate mongers on social media. Out of the 20, six offences were registered across the state on Saturday, after a deluge of hate messages started flooding social media.
Post Covid-19, cyber cells across the state have registered 85 offences so far including four in Nagpur city and two in Nagpur rural. The offences were related to fake news spreading misinformation, rumours and also hate mongers targeting each other on spread of corona among Tablighi Jamaat in New Delhi.
State home minister Anil Deshmukh has now alerted the centralized state cyber cell to keep vigil on social media and take stringent action against anyone fomenting communal hatred on social media.
State police and intelligence agencies are facing a tough time ensuring there is no violence in the backdrop of nationwide screening of attendees of the Markaz of Tablighi Jamaat after some Covid-19 deaths and many positive cases came to fore.
The state cyber cell, which is coordinating action against social media mischief, has now appealed to citizens to maintain ‘social media distance’ and ‘break the chain’ of hate messages and fake news. They warn such messages can trigger confusion and chaos in the already tricky situation.
SP, state cyber cell, Balsingh Rajput under supervision of IG Brijesh Singh said hate mongers would be ‘legally quarantined’.
Home minister Deshmukh, talking to TOI, said the cyber cell has been alerted to keep vigil. “I have instructed cyber units to be prompt on spotting rumours and hate mongers,” he said. Later in the day, Deshmukh also took to social media to caution citizens against fake news, spreading rumours, misinformation and hate messages.