An incendiary and provocative Facebook post calling for boycotting COVID protocol has drawn the attention of law enforcement agencies, eventually leading to the registration of a case on Thursday.
The Central police registered a case against two Facebook profiles — Muhammed Ashraf and Rafeeque — found to be behind the post. However, it was not yet confirmed whether the profiles were genuine or fake.
“We will have to verify the genuineness of the profiles and also widen the probe further into the whole episode, including about those who were found to have commented and liked the post,” said police sources. Seemingly, a WhatsApp group was also in vogue to coordinate the campaign, said a senior police officer. The post came to the notice of the police following a specific tip-off.
The case was charged invoking Kerala Police Act Sections 118 (b) (knowingly spreads rumours or gives false alarm to mislead the police, fire brigade or any other essential service) and (c) (knowingly and willfully causes damage to an essential service, in order to create general panic among the public); IPC Sections 270 (whoever malignantly does any act which is, and which he knows or has reason to believe to be, likely to spread the infection of any disease dangerous to life) and 505 (makes, publishes or circulates any statement, rumour or report) and relevant provisions of the Kerala Epidemic Diseases Ordinance.
The post sought to organise a protest against COVID protocol at High Court Junction on September 18 at 3 p.m. and it claimed that top doctors and professionals would speak out the ‘real truth’ about the pandemic at the event.
Among the slogans it raised were ‘no more lies’, ‘no more masks’, ‘no more social distancing’, and ‘no more lockdown.’ It called for boycotting the COVID protocol and restoring all freedoms.