Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad cops keep a close eye on messages spreading hate

TNN | Updated: Apr 7, 2020, 09:00 IST

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PUNE: The Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad police have started keeping a close watch on messages, especially those propagating hate, on social media in the wake of the rising number of Covid-19 cases and a particular community being blamed for the sudden surge.
The police believe that such messages can trigger a law and order issue and needed to be dealt with sternly.
Deputy commissioner of police (cyber) Sambhaji Kadam told TOI, “The cybercrime police are keeping an eye on the messages spreading hate. We are aware that many people are circulating communal messages, which may cause law and order situation. The police are deleting such messages from the social media sites. If the uploader or circulator of such messages is from Pune and its surrounding areas, we will book him/her.”
He said the police were also trying to trace the origin of these hate messages and the cases were being referred to the police unit concerned for action. “Many people are circulating fake and fabricated messages targeting a particular community, following the Tablighi Jamaat congregation and the subsequent spread of Covid-19 infection,” Kadam said.
When contacted, Pimpri Chinchwad’s deputy commissioner of police Sudhir Hiremath said, “We have taken a tough stance against persons creating and circulating hate messages. We have filed two cases, one each with Nigdi and Bhosari police stations. We will not tolerate hate messages on the social media.”