The cybercrime division of the Kolkata Police has started tracking social media handles attempting to spread misinformation about the October 17 stampede at the pandal of the Chorbagan Sarbojanin community Durga Puja committee, which claimed the lives of 19 people, IANS reported. Police have cautioned the public against spreading misinformation about the tragedy on social media or sharing any post without cross-verification, and have appealed to people to bring misleading posts to their notice.

One person was arrested on Monday night on charges of making a misleading social media post about the stampede. According to Additional Commissioner (Crime) Kunal Agarwal, the arrested person is Ainul Haque, a resident of Cooch Behar district in North Bengal. Haque is accused of sharing an old video of a similar mishap that occurred at some other place, and of claiming that not 19 but 60 people had been killed in the stampede. He has been charged under Section 353(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023, which penalises making, publishing or circulating false statements or reports likely to create enmity, hatred or ill will between different groups.

A more detailed investigation has begun to establish whether Haque acted alone in spreading misleading information about the tragedy or was part of an organised group. NewsX also reported the arrest and said an STF team would visit Cooch Behar in connection with the probe. Meanwhile, the Chorbagan pandal had 30 CCTV cameras installed, and investigating team members have so far secured footage from 13 of them; investigators are still examining the footage already available.

Sources: IANS (via hi INDiA and BizzBuzz), NewsX.