T.N. police book case against Dainik Bhaskar on charges of spreading rumours of migrant workers being attacked

Three other similar cases have been booked so far; Director General of Police C. Sylendra Babu has warned of strict action against rumour-mongers; the move comes even as the government and industrialists have stepped in to assure migrant workers of their safety in T.N.

Police personnel in Chennai dispel rumours of migrant workers being attacked in the State | Photo Credit: RAGU R

The Tamil Nadu Director General of Police, (DGP) C. Sylendra Babu, has once again warned persons against spreading false information about migrant workers being attacked in the State, and has said strict action will be taken against such persons. He said four cases have already been booked in this regard.

The DGP said untrue and false information about migrant laborers from northern states being attacked in Tamil Nadu has been spread by some miscreants on social media platforms. Those who spread such false rumours are being identified and action is being taken against them, he said.

On Thursday, in the wake of these rumours creating panic, the State government and industrialists had stepped in to assure migrant workers of their safety.

Mr. Babu had then too, made it clear that there were no targeted attacks on Hindi-speaking people in the State.

A case has been registered at the Tirupur North Police Station against the editor of the Dainik Bhaskar newspaper under sections 153(A) (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language and 505(i)(b) (Whoever makes, publishes or circulates any statement or report containing rumour or alarming news with intent to create hatred) of the Indian Penal Code, the DGP said.

Another case was registered at the Tiruppur Cyber Crime Police Station against Mohammad Thanveer of the Tanveer Post under the same sections, as well as Section 56 (D) of the Information Technology Act.

Similarly, another case was registered at the Thoothukudi Central Police Station against an individual, Prashant Umrao. The Krishnagiri District Cyber Crime Police have also registered a case against another individual, Shubham Shukla for posting false information on Twitter.

Special teams have been formed under the orders of the DGP to arrest these miscreants who spread false news, Mr. Sylendra Babu said. “Migrant workers of northern states are living peacefully without any fear, and completely safely, in Tamil Nadu. It is hereby informed that details of those spreading false news to disturb the peace and create tension, are being collected by the police and strict action will be taken against them,” the police officer warned.