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Social media posts of people with illegal firearms comes handy for police in Prayagraj
PRAYAGRAJ: Social media monitoring is helping district police not only in curbing rumours but also in recovering many illegal firearms and arresting their owners
PRAYAGRAJ: Social media monitoring is helping district police not only in curbing rumours but also in recovering many illegal firearms and arresting their owners. During last few months, police have traced many persons who have posted their videos or photo on social media sites with illegal firearms and initiated action.
“Social media cell of police remains active round-the-clock and monitors different social media sites closely. It has not only helped curbing rumours but during past few months many persons who have posed their pictures or videos with illegal firearms on social sites have also been traced,” said SP Crime Ashutosh Mishra.
During past some months dozens of arrests have been carried out and the firearms have been recovered from them, he said.
“There are many youths who post their photo and videos with firearm just for fun but there are many others whose motive was to create terror among locals and increase their influence. Many of them have past criminal records as well,” SP Crime added.
“As soon as the social media cell of the police alerts us about any photo or video, we immediately start tracing the person, he said.
Most of the persons who have been arrested recently were from rural areas who have posted their photographs or video with firearms on social media themselves or someone has made them viral out of enmity, he said.
Some cases
*Around a week ago, a video of newly elected village head Amit Kumar has gone viral in which he was seen firing shots with country made pistol in an inebriated state. Meja police lodged an FIR and arrested the village head.
*Earlier, a photograph of a youth posing with a licensed gun at Civil Lines bus station during lockdown period was circulated on social sites. Police arrested the youth with the gun whose license was in the name of another person.
*On Monday, Kaundhiara police has arrested two youths Atul and Dharmendra who were seen firing shots at a marriage in a video which they posted on their social media accounts.
*Photographs of two youths posing with a country made firearm on facebook has also gone viral few days back. Police has lodged a case and has started tracing them.
