Posts with religious overtones by some individuals in social media are triggering controversies. Two such cases came to light on Monday.
A fake news that Cyberabad police had banned sale of oranges in Hyderabad went viral in social media from Monday early hours.
A good number of netizens believed the ‘orange sale ban’ news clip, shown as lead news carried in the front page of a Hyderabad-based English daily.
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It also had the photo of Cyberabad Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar accompanied by two other officers - with oranges placed on a table. Beneath the news item, it was mentioned as a satire in a single line in a smaller font.
The fake (satire as described by the person who posted it) news clip, was laced with religious overtones. Cyber Crime wing of Cyberabad police suo moto registered a case against the person who posted it.
“We believe the person to be from Chandigarh. We are trying to trace him,” ACP Srinivas said.
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Sections 153A (promoting enmity between two groups on grounds of religion, race..) and 505 (making, publishing, circulating statement, rumour, report promoting enmity, hatred between sections of people) and section 66C of Information Technology Act were invoked in the case.
Video clip
In a separate case, Cyber Crime wing of Rachakonda police arrested a youngster after he created a video clip stating that flags would be hoisted on a historic monument in old city. Following a complaint, the Rachakonda police traced the origin of the video clip and caught the youngster hailing from Bhongir.
During interrogation, the boy told the investigators that he wished he would get more likes and in turn become popular because of the video.
He was arrested and presented before a local court.
“Posts by some individuals on social media have the potential to create communal trouble. We suo moto registered two more such cases in which references were made to target specific communities,” the Rachakonda police said. Probe is on to trace them.