Seemingly perturbed over what has recently happened at Agastyamuni in Rudraprayag district over rumour floated on the social networking sites of a minor being gang-raped which sparked violence, the State police brass has been keeping tab on the social networking sites.
It is learnt that the state director general of police Anil K Raturi has instructed the intelligence staffers of the department to monitor such sites to preempt anti-social elements from sparking another spate of violence through rumour –mongering over such sites.
The move to have such sites monitored has assumed further significance as the police are still stumbling in the dark over who are circulating posts threatening of anti-reservation stir on April 10 while taking care to conceal their identities and details of the proposed stir. Police said they are taking no chances in view of three important events lined up for the week- Baisakhi on April 13-14, Ambedkar Jayanti on April 14 and Somvati Amavasya on April 16.
While chairing a video conferencing with the district police chiefs on Monday, DGP Raturi is learnt to have asked them to be on their guard over what’s app postings being circulated over anti- reservation stir to be staged across the state on April 10.
Police department insiders say that they are doubly worried as those engaged in circulation of such posts have chosen to remain anonymous. “We cannot, of course, stop anyone from staging demonstration in a democratic set-up. However, the anonymous posts have left us worried, particularly against the backdrop of the nation-wide Dalit backlash regarding SC/ST Act that sparked violence even in some parts of the state. The district police chiefs have thus been asked to be alert about the anonymous posts so as to prevent another flare-up on the emotive issue of reservation,” said a senior State level police officer.
Additional director general of police (law and order) Ashok Kumar said on Monday that the district police chiefs have been directed to put their intelligence staffers on alert and to collect information about who could have been behind the social networking campaign on the anti-reservation stir. “We have decided to strengthen the social media monitoring cell. Besides, we would take legal action if it is found that the threatened stir is part of a rumour-mongering game played to inflame passions of the issue of caste and reservation. Action would be taken under under 107/116 of CrPC in the police stations concerned,” he added.
It has been decided that a large section of the police personnel deputed at police stations, police posts, police lines, offices and branches would be deployed on law and order duty in view of the three important events lined up for the week. Incidents would be video- graphed by police so that the miscreants can be identified and booked, Kumar said, adding that the statues of the freedom fighters and religious leaders would be protected from any attempt of vandalism.
District police chiefs have been directed to coordinate with the district magistrates concerned and to ensure that peace committee meetings are held at the police station and circle officer level. ADGP Kumar made it clear that they are extra alert over the ensuing Ambedkar Jayanti, saying that routes of the rallies to be taken out to mark the occasion might be changed. “Furthermore, we are making fool- proof security for the event,” he said.
Among those who attended the meeting were ADGPs V Vinay Kumar and Ram Singh Meena, IGs Deepam Seth, A P Anshuman and G S Martolia aside from the traffic directorate director DIG Kewal Khurana.