Bengaluru: Police arrest 18 in 37 cases over 'hate posts' this year

Bengaluru, Oct 9 (PTI) Police said they have registered 37 cases and arrested 18 individuals so far this year for allegedly sharing communal hate messages, false news, defamatory, and provocative posts on social media here.

Under the supervision of Commissioner of Police Seemant Kumar Singh, the Social Media Monitoring Cells (SMMCs) operating across the city have been actively tracking online platforms to detect posts that could disturb public harmony, a statement said on Thursday.

“During the course of monitoring, several objectionable posts were identified, leading to the registration of cases and action against offenders,” it added.

“So far this year, 37 cases have been registered, 18 persons arrested, and 41 social media accounts, along with 19 objectionable posts shared by the accused, have been taken down from various platforms,” the statement said.

The police urged citizens not to endorse, support, or share posts that may disrupt communal peace and harmony, and advised verifying the authenticity of information before commenting or forwarding it online.

“Strict legal action will be initiated against those found violating the law,” the statement added. PTI AMP SSK