Tripura violence: Police books 102 social media accounts under UAPA

Three days after booking four Supreme Court lawyers under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and other IPC provisions, the Tripura Police on Saturday booked a total of 102 social media accounts under similar charges. The social media account holders, including 68 Twitter handles, have now been charged by the police. The charges have been pressed for allegedly spreading "objectionable news items/statements" regarding recent clashes and alleged attacks on mosques in Tripura.

The Tripura police have now booked 102 social media accounts under UAPA in relation to the recent communal violence in the state. The police informed that around 150 social media accounts were initially listed for scrutiny. The move comes only days after four Delhi-based advocates were booked under the same provisions for allegedly sharing fake information on social media during the violence. The police also sent notices to Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, asking the social media platforms to block the booked accounts as they were allegedly found to be spreading objectionable news on the platforms.

Police sends notice to Twitter regarding Tripura violence

In a notice served to Twitter’s online Law Enforcement Request system, the police asked for the blocking of handles citing those individuals used the same to share photographs or videos of some other incidents or fabricated statements during the violence. Earlier, Tripura police in a series of tweets had said that some social media posts were spreading fake news. They had also informed that action would be taken against individuals sharing the same.

'Some posts in social media projecting doubts on the impartiality of Tripura police in taking action against the perpetrators of recent communal incidents have been noticed,' the police had tweeted. 'It is reiterated that Police is investigating these cases in a completely impartial and lawful manner. Appropriate action is being taken against anyone found involved in these incidents,' Tripura Police added. The police earlier booked 71 people for allegedly spreading rumours on social media on communal violence incidents.

Tripura violence

Violence erupted in North Tripura after the alleged vandalism of a mosque and two shops that were set ablaze at the Chamtilla on October 26 evening during a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) rally. The rally was held in protest against the riots in Bangladesh against the Hindu community and its temples. 

However, violence erupted during the VHP rally in Tripura after a group of people allegedly pelted stones and damaged a door of a mosque, following which security forces rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control, district Superintendent of police Bhanu Pada Chakraborty said. A complaint was lodged in this connection and mosques in sensitive areas were given protection.

The Police on October 28 informed that no mosque was burnt during the protest rally, and the photograph of the same, where a burning and damaged 'masjid' is seen, was fake. The police warned the public not to engage in rumour-mongering and appealed to them to maintain law and order.

Image: PTI