LUCKNOW: Mela police on Monday registered an FIR against seven social media account holders/users for spreading rumors and fake news under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology (IT) Act to defame the Kumbh Mela.
SSP (Kumbh Mela) Rajesh Dwivedi confirmed that an FIR was registered with the Mela Kotwali police station against the seven social media account holders/users for spreading rumors and fake news, and action would be initiated accordingly.
He added that a joint team of cybercrime and Mela police had been entrusted with investigating the case and taking appropriate action.
Meanwhile, the SSP claimed that in one misleading video uploaded on social media platforms, an account holder had posted a fake video claiming that family members were carrying three bodies on their shoulders.
The account user alleged that three members of a family had died in a stampede at the Kumbh Mela, and the family had to carry the bodies from the post-mortem house. The user also uploaded a photo with the caption "Maut Ka Mahakumbh" and demanded that at least one ambulance be provided to transport the bodies to their native home. However, when police investigated, they found the video to be years old and filmed in Nepal.
The Mela police also accused another social media account holder who had uploaded a video showing unknown individuals allegedly throwing a body into a river after removing a kidney.
SSP Dwivedi said that the joint team was working to ascertain the identities of the social media account holders and their motives behind defaming the Kumbh Mela. He also mentioned that the police had received inputs to act upon. "Mela police will thoroughly investigate all cases," Dwivedi said, adding, "We will probe these cases deeply to understand why these fake videos were being uploaded ahead of the third Amrit Snan on Basant Panchami."