Will take legal action against those spreading fake news on social media: IGP Pani

Srinagar, Apr 05: The Kashmir Police Chief Thursday said that police would initiate legal action against those spreading fake news on social networking sites.
Swayam Prakash  Pani, Inspector General of Police Kashmir told KNS over phone that an FIR (first investigation report) can be filed under law against a social media group’s administrator (admin) if malicious information or rumours,  is circulated on social media group.
Pani said that SSPs have been directed to identify and initiate legal action against such groups. “The process in this regard has been initiated,” he maintained.
The statement of the IGP Kashmir comes after police filed an FIR on Thursday against two facebook pages for spreading rumours regarding the death of a student in Handwara area of North Kashmir’s Kupwara district.
The Kashmir Police Chief further said that it has been seen many times fake news and rumours unfortunately spreading over platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook cause tensions to flare up.
When asked why oftenly the authorities block the internet service in the valley, the IGP said “Internet services in the Valley  suspended at times to “prevent the spread of rumours though it causes inconvenience to the citizens,” he said but was quick to add that suspension of Internet is a temporary measure and taken after due evaluation.
Meanwhile sources said that the state Intelligence agencies have singled out WhatsApp groups allegedly involved in mobilizing stone-throwers in the Valley.
“The Intelligent Agencies have identified WhatsApp groups which provoke the crowd and orchestrate stone-throwers to interfere with anti-militant operations,” sources in the intelligence agencies said.
In the past it has been seen that the authorities blocked hundreds of WhatsApp groups for “instigating violence in the Valley”.
It is to mention here that Handwara Police on Thursday filed an FIR against some facebook pages for spreading rumours regarding the death of a student in Handwara area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district.
The police has informed KNS that a case under FIR number 18/2018 u/s 505 IT Act was filed in connection with the rumors on social media. “Some Facebook pages were found involved in spreading the rumors about the student’s death.  Strict action under law will be taken against those running such pages,” the police official told KNS. (KNS)