AIZAWL: At least 11 people, including a few women, have been arrested for allegedly spreading fake news on the social media that a novel coronavirus-infected person was detected in the state, a senior police officer said on Wednesday.
Mizoram Inspector General of Police (Headquarters) John Neihlaia said that the 11 persons were arrested on Tuesday evening after police registered a suo motu case against them.
All the accused were released on bail on Wednesday, he said.
A case under Section 505 (1)(b) (intent to cause fear or alarm to the public) was registered against the 11 accused with Vaivakawn police station, Neihlaia said.
He said the fake news shared on WhatsApp claimed that a Singapore returnee with suspected coronavirus symptoms was put under isolation at home after she refused to be quarantined at Zoram Medical College.
An investigation found that the 31-year-old woman was screened twice, first at Kolkata airport and then again at Lengpui airport in the state, upon her return to the country on March 3 and did not show any symptom of the disease, the officer added.