KOZHIKODE: Over 1,000 youths arrested, more than 700 mobile phones seized, six alleged ‘masterminds’ caught. But weeks after the violence-ridden ‘WhatsApp hartal’ rocked north Kerala, the probe into the ‘larger conspiracy’ behind it seems to have been put on the backburner. Sources in the Crime Branch, which analysed data in hundreds of the seized mobile phones, said no case of ‘sedition’ could be made out against those involved. The so-called ‘key conspirators’ of the social media hartal, who spewed venom on WhatsApp and triggered violence, also won’t face action under any tough charges.
Meanwhile, state police chief Loknath Behera told Express it was tough to police the social media.
“After Section 66 A of the IT Act was found unconstitutional and was repealed, we need to think of a solution to tackle breach of public order through misuse of social media. Right now, we are dragging IPC sections into such cases, which, I believe, is not right,” Behera said.
“Whatever cases we have registered (in connection with the hartal) would be taken to the logical conclusion on the basis of whatever evidence we have gathered,” the state police chief said when asked about the progress in the probe into the “larger conspiracy”.He also indicated that in future, some mechanism should be worked out in consultation with civil society on keeping inflammatory material on social media under check.
“We have informed the government of the need for such a mechanism,” Behera said.
Academic Ashraf Kadakkal, who has done extensive studies on Islamic radicalisation, believes the government initially showed the resolve to deal with protesters with an iron fist. However, the possible fallout of any tough action on people from a particular community on the impending Chengannur bypoll may have also been factored in later by the LDF government, he said.
“However, the incident has proven how weak our intelligence gathering methods are in a new era when WhatsApp and Facebook can trigger riots in a matter of hours. The policing system also needs to adapt with the changing times,” Ashraf said. Social critic and writer Hammeed Chennamangaloor says the government should view the April 16 hartal with utmost seriousness as it could be a ‘dry run’ for many violent campaigns on religious lines in future. “It’s strange that even before protests began in Kashmir over the Kathua rape and murder, troublemakers found Kerala, with a population of around 27 per cent Muslims, an ideal ground to launch violent protests,” he said.