25 booked for inflammatory posts on social media after Kalamassery blasts

Highly placed sources said the police have flagged technical intermediaries such as Facebook and YouTube about 100 such accounts and managed to get 59 accounts/content removed.

Preliminary investigation suggests that IEDs (improvised Explosive Devices) were used to trigger the Kalamassery blasts. (Photo | A Sanesh)

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a major crackdown on social media handles that spread communal hatred following the blasts during a prayer meeting in Kochi, the police have registered cases against nearly 25 users of such accounts. Police have identified social media 89 accounts that posted extremely communal and polarising content. 

The blasts during Jehovah’s Witnesses convention on Sunday left three dead and several injured. “The geographical location of the users of all social media accounts under scanner is being identified,” sources told TNIE. “The accounts were found to have generated highly polarising content. Some of them were being operated from outside the state. Legal action will be initiated against the users under the IT Act,” said a source.

The cyber investigation wing as well as the technical intelligence team of the state police have compiled the data of social media accounts that posted venomous content capable of disturbing the communal harmony in the state. Highly placed sources said the police have flagged technical intermediaries such as Facebook and YouTube about 100 such accounts and managed to get 59 accounts/content removed.  

Case registered against some news portals

“Those removed were highly communal posts/accounts. Sensing the danger they pose, the tech intermediaries acted swiftly on a priority basis. They will scrutinise the other cases in the second phase,” said a source.

According to the information available, cases have been registered against some news portals for posting communal content. “In Kochi, we have booked a news portal, which was the first to run a communally polarising narrative on the Kalamassery blast,” the source said.

Going by police data, inflammable contents were mostly generated till Sunday noon. The trend subsided after news reports emerged regarding the identity of the suspect. 

“Some of the account users removed their content by noon. However, in the case of serious offenders, we will retrieve their posts and take action accordingly. Also, there have been numerous complaints against some social media users for personally defaming people through their content. In such cases, we may not be able to take action. In serious cases, action will be taken against those who have shared such content in cyberspace,” the source added.

MATERIALS USED TO MAKE  BOMBS SEIZED

•  Police team probing the blasts recovered batteries, wires and plastic bottles used for making bombs from the house of the accused, Dominic Martin, at Athani near Nedumbassery
•  Martin on Tuesday declined the legal aid offered by Ernakulam District Principal Sessions Court. He submitted that he would argue the case himself.