Cops arrest two, file six FIRs for spreading rumours on social media

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A total of six FIRs have been registered and four people have been arrested in Maharashtra so far for spreading rumours about coronavirus.

According to the Maharashtra Cyber Cell Police, FIRs have been registered in Palghar, Pune, Ahmednagar and Beed districts. Two has been arrested in Pune - one in Waliv (Palghar) and one in Ahmednagar. Police are registering cases under the Disaster Management Act 2005.

The Waliv police arrested Dr Ramkiran Nandlal Yadav (32) for putting a banner outside his clinic which claimed he sold a medicine at Rs 300 which could cure coronavirus.

Meanwhile, the cyber branch of Pune Police detained a 16-year-old from Maharajganj district in Uttar Pradesh after he uploaded over 60 videos from his aunt's mobile to YouTube. One of the videos said that eating chicken could coronavirus, which is not true.

The cyber cell has been monitoring social media in order to stop the spread of misinformation. SP of Maharashtra Cyber Cell, Balasingh Rajput told mid-day, "The cyber cell is monitoring from the labs. If we receive a tip off on misinformation being spread, we inform the concerned police station."

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