Coronavirus: Cyber cops step up vigil against rumour-mongers
Mumbai: Maharashtra Cyber Police has warned of strict action against rumour-mongers who spread misleading and unverified information on social media regarding COVID-19, an official said on Wednesday.
According to the official, police have stepped up online surveillance to identify senders of such fake news and other content.
At 42, Maharashtra has reported the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the country so far.
The official said many instances of spreading of false and unverified news regarding coronavirus on various social media platforms have come to the fore.
These kind of posts can potentially lead to panic and terror among the common people, he said.
"Maharashtra cyber police are monitoring social media activities and will take stringent action against those found spreading such kind of false and unverified news and other contents," he said.
Meanwhile, police have also appealed to all television news channels, newspapers and web portals to publish news related to coronavirus after confirming it from authorised sources.
The official said even common people can file complaints against rumour-mongers with local police stations or on www.cybercrime.gov.in.
As per the 'Maharashtra COVID-19 Regulations 2020' issued by the state Health department on Saturday those who spread rumours or fake news about coronavirus will be held responsible under section 3 of the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897 and will be booked under section 188 of the IPC, the official added.
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38-year-old man murdered inside hotel in Mundgod; hunt on for accused
Karwar: A 38-year-old man was killed by a group of assailants inside a hotel in Mundgod on Friday night, police said.
The deceased has been identified as Zameer Ahmed Dargawale, a resident of Noorani Galli.
According to police sources, Zameer had gone to the hotel along with a friend at around 11 pm. During this time, three to four unidentified men allegedly entered the premises, threw a substance into his eyes and attacked him with a knife.
Police said the attackers allegedly stabbed him in the neck. Though he reportedly tried to run for safety, he collapsed in the hotel kitchen and died on the spot.
Investigators said Zameer had allegedly been kidnapped around one-and-a-half years ago and was later rescued in a police operation. He was also reportedly named in five cases, including betting-related offences.
Sirsi DSP Geeta Patil Geeta Patil and Uttara Kannada SP Deepan M N visited the scene and inspected the spot.
The body has been shifted to Karwar for post-mortem examination. Police said three teams have been formed to trace the accused.
