The Mangaluru Police Commissionerate has issued a firm advisory cautioning citizens against posting or circulating divisive, false, or threatening content on platforms such as WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook, citing a noticeable increase in digital misconduct.
Police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal affirmed that the department is handling these incidents with utmost urgency. In the past week alone, more than 30 cases have been filed across different city police stations. A dedicated task force, led by the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) from the CEN Crime Police Station, is spearheading investigations. Several suspects have already been interrogated, with many using fraudulent or internationally hosted accounts to post inflammatory content.
Despite the use of fake identities, Agrawal assured that cyber footprints can be traced, and legal actions will be taken, regardless of the origin. He appealed to the youth to consider the consequences on their future before engaging in such behaviour.
Citizens are encouraged to report offensive posts instead of forwarding them, aiding law enforcement in tackling such threats.
To prevent recurrence, police are applying preventive sections under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). Offenders are made to sign legal undertakings pledging good behaviour. Breach of this can attract penalties or jail time.
BNSS Provisions Include:
- Spreading hate between groups (Sec 196): Max 5 years
- Provoking disorder (Sec 192): Max 6 months
- Issuing intimidation (Sec 351(1)): Max 7 years
- Hateful online speech (Sec 351(1)(a)): Max 2 years
- Misinformation circulation (Sec 353): Max 3 years
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