Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur police have come under online flak recently for Photoshoping masks onto a constable and a murder accused on an online photo shared on Twitter.
India has the second-highest number of Covid-19 cases recorded in the world after the US, and the vaccine inoculation drive is yet to start. Social-distancing and masks are compulsory in India, and Uttar Pradesh also has a 500 rupees fine for not wearing a mask.
To keep up with the guidelines, Gorakhpur Police's Twitter account posted the photo, but the photo had a mask digitally Photoshop-ed onto the people in them. The photograph shows a a police constable and a murder accused standing by his side with surgical masks on. However, a non-Photoshoped version found its way online, leading people to troll the tweet for including the mask digitally.
Digital Mask @gorakhpurpolice pic.twitter.com/rD0rzMNDIz
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) January 10, 2021
@gorakhpurpolice wow. Love the way. https://t.co/bGcvOdd9O1
— Syed Ahmed Shah (@SyedTonk) January 11, 2021
Nobody promotes Digital India like @gorakhpurpolice pic.twitter.com/7ExsHTb3J0
— Joy (@Joydas) January 10, 2021
Before After pic.twitter.com/p26Z2hIbfn
— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) January 10, 2021
— Yash93 (@yashshetye1) January 10, 2021
After huge success of thaaain thaaain ,UP police is introducing "the virtual mask".@gorakhpurpolice pic.twitter.com/2FwbpiKlI6
— Fatmi (@aash_fatmi) January 11, 2021
The police department deleted the photo after the online criticism. Senior police officials on Tuesday told the Indian Express said that an officer of the rank of Additional SP had been asked to investigate the matter.
“It was a genuine mistake from the side of the constable, who tried to correct his mistake of not wearing a mask, but did not know that he was making it worse. After coming to know about the incident I even called the concerned constable and questioned him. He said it was a genuine mistake and started crying. He accepted that he made a mistake. However, I asked an Additional SP-level official to investigate the matter. Action will be taken as required,” said Gorakhpur DIG Jogendra Kumar.