Delhi Police’s new invisible enemy (IANS Special)

By Zafar Abbas New Delhi, Feb 3 : Apart from the barbed wires and iron spikes at Singhu, Tiki and Ghazipur, the Delhi Police have opened a new front to combat the invisible force it has to deal with and that is the rumours. Since the January 26 violence, the police have been dealing with a plethora of ‘rumours’ and fake news.
According to the police, malicious and fake news was spread regarding the death of a farmer at ITO on Republic Day. The police said he died after his tractor overturned during the farmers’ protest march, but some media outlets and Twitter handles of journalists and politicians claimed otherwise. The Delhi Police later filed a case at the IP estate police station of Central Delhi.
In another case, a man from Rajasthan was arrested for posting fake news about mass resignation of the Delhi Police personnel in the aftermath of the farmers’ protest.
The police said a mischievous social media campaign had been going on for the last some days, propagating rumours regarding disaffection in the police ranks.
“Old, unrelated videos were being posted with fake news of resignation of police personnel. Acting on such fake news, the CyPAD unit of Delhi Police registered a criminal case and has arrested Om Prakash Dhetarwal of Churu District of Rajasthan,” said Anyesh Roy, DCP, Cyber Crime.
In another instance, amid reports that after the January 26 violence in Delhi, several farmers have been missing, the Delhi Police had to clear the air saying that no illegal detention has been done, and appealed to the people not to fall prey for rumours.