HYDERABAD: Taking note of fake news being spread on coronavirus, Rachakonda police arrested the admin of a WhatsApp group and two members of the group, who shared and circulated fake news.
One of the accused downloaded a picture from Google Chrome, edited it and shared it on a WhatsApp group, informing that the person belonging to Bhongir town had died of Coronavirus and his body was being shifted home for final rites.
The message went viral triggering panic in the area. Bhongir town police who got to see the message, registered a case against the persons circulating the message and started investigation.
Based on technical evidence, police traced the origin of the message to a WhatsApp group by the name HBD PAVAN ANNA.
Inquiries revealed that the group was created by Shiva Kumar and J Bharath Kumar had shared the picture and the fake news in the group.
The same was shared by Balaraju with others. Based on the clues, police arrested the three persons, under Section 54 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, which was invoked by the State government two days ago, to control the spread of fake news.
Meanwhile, a case was registered against unidentified persons at Chaitanyapuri police station of Rachakonda commissionerate in the city, after a WhatsApp message stating that three persons from Kothapet area were affected with the virus, went viral.