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Mangaluru: Police register 17 cases in connection with social media posts calling for communal violence

Among those targeted in the communally sensitive posts was Mangaluru City North legislator Mohiuddin Bawa.

Published Aug 02, 2022 | 6:50 PM ⚊UpdatedAug 02, 2022 | 6:50 PM

Eight members of the social media monitoring cell were constantly monitoring communally sensitive and other offensive posts on Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram. (Credit: Creative Commons)

The Mangaluru City Cyber Crime Police have registered 17 cases under the provisions of Information Technology Act and Indian Penal Code (IPC) against those who have posted communally sensitive posts on social media sites.

Cases against social media posts promoting communal violence have been registered under Section 66 (C) of IT Act and Sections 153 (A) and 505 (2) of IPC.

Mangaluru Police Commissioner N. Shashi Kumar on Monday, 1 August, confirmed that 17 cases have been registered against social media posts which contain content promoting communal violence.

The action was taken in the wake of a peace committee meeting held on 30 July in Dakshina Kannada district, urging the police to take action on social media posts that create communal trouble.

The meeting was attended by ADGP (Law & Order), IGP Mangaluru, Commissioner Mangaluru, SP Dakshina Kannada district, and representatives of religious and political parties.

Police scan social media

A police official of the Mangaluru City Cyber Crime Police, told South First on condition of anonymity:, “Between 31 July and 1 August, 17 cases against communally sensitive social media posts were registered.”

He added, “Eight members of the Social Media Monitoring Cell were constantly scanning communally sensitive and other offensive posts on Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram.”

The communally sensitive posts surfaced on social media platforms after the murder of the BJP Yuva Morcha worker Praveen Nettaru on 26 July and the apparently retaliatory killing of Surathkal based Mohammed Fazil on 28 July.

One of the social media comments issued a life threat to the former Mangaluru City North MLA Mohiuddin Bawa.

The atmosphere is tense after three murders in the span of 10 days in Dakshina Kannada.

The have nabbed two for the murder of Praveen Nettaru, while seven have so far been arrested for the killing of Mohammed Fazil.