Authorities in Tripura on Sunday restored Internet access, three days after the government ordered suspension of services following the lynching of three people, including a woman, in wake of child lifting rumours spread through social media.
On June 28, Internet services were cut for 48 hours, but the measure was extended for another 48 hours on the advice from security agencies.
Tripura witnessed unprecedented rumours on presence of child traffickers, triggering mob fury in several parts of the State. Twenty people sustained injuries, besides three deaths, in at least eleven reported incidents under various police stations.
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The rumours spread through social media platforms after the murder of an 11-year-old boy in Sidhai area, north of here, on June 26.
Fake information that the boy’s kidneys were removed and State Law Minister Ratan Lal Nath’s subsequent comment that an international kidney smuggling racket was responsible for the murder aggravated the situation.
Chief Minister Biplab Deb on Sunday urged the media to act cautiously while reporting on sensitive issues. He said the incidents should not come in the way of development initiatives adopted by the State’s BJP-led coalition government.
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