PARADIP: Paradip Model police on Wednesday arrested five persons on charges of circulating misinformation on social media related to the tonsuring of a driver in an alleged theft case.
The accused are Rajat Panda (30) of Mugupal in Jajpur district, Subash Behera (34) of Godishagada in Puri, Arjun Giri (21), Hemant Das (21), and Naren Giri (18), all residents of Atharbanki in Paradip.
The video, which was widely shared on social media over the past three to four days, shows a man being restrained by a group at what appears to be a roadside truck parking area. He is forcibly tonsured with a razor and appears injured. The accompanying audio in some versions of the video, in Odia, reportedly claimed that the man was a mobile thief caught by truck drivers at Atharbanki in Paradip.
On being informed about the video, Paradip Model police launched an investigation and found that the incident occurred in the early hours of April 24 at Hatadihi in Keonjhar district. The victim was identified as Seshadeb Mohapatra (25), a resident of Kantabad under Begunia police limits in Khurda district.
Police said the circulation of misleading audio and incorrect location details appears to be a deliberate attempt to spread misinformation and create confusion.
Jagatsinghpur SP Ankit Kumar Verma said efforts are underway to apprehend the remaining accused. Police are also verifying the origin and spread of the misleading social media content.