Punjab government busts fake news on social media about internet shutdowns

There have been endless rumours circulating online claiming that Internet services will not be accessible in parts of India since there has been a barring on a number of services across the country. Many users have been taking to WhatsApp and other social media platforms to spreading the message of a supposed internet shutdown. A majority of such rumours emerged in the states of Punjab and West Bengal which triggered panic amongst the people.

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Punjab government refutes Internet shutdown rumours

With the rampant rumours being dished out across social media platforms, the Punjab government on Friday took to Twitter to refute the online reports surrounding the shutdown of Internet services in the state. The Chief Minister of Punjab, Captain Amarinder Singh, made an appeal to the people to not believe in the unsubstantiated information and also requested people against sharing such news which may cause unnecessary panic. He also warned of strict action against rumour-mongers.

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A while ago, Chandigarh UT administration had also initiated steps to counter the scare that had been triggered by the increasing cases of Coronavirus in India. The administration is also tackling fake news and rumours that have been circulating online. Officials have warned of stern action against those found behind such fake messages.

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Maharashtra lockdown

The Maharashtra government has also announced a lockdown of all the non-essential shops and offices in Mumbai, MMR region, Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad and Nagpur as a preventive measure to combat further spread of the novel Coronavirus. However, the government stated that all the essential services and public transport will remain operative in the state.

The novel Coronavirus cases have been on a rapid rise in India with a total of four deaths in the country with a Punjab man being the latest casualty on Thursday. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has addressed the nation on the issue urging the citizens to stay indoors as much as possible and follow the directives and advisories of the government. He also made an announcement stating that the entire country will observe a "Janta curfew" in their fight against the COVID-19 pandemic on March 22, Sunday, starting 7 AM till 9 PM.

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Image credits: Unsplash | Leon Seibert