Maharashtra cyber cell identifies ‘17 social media trends’ related to Nupur Sharma in last 4 days

According to the Maharashtra cyber police, these trends are intended to disrupt law and order and spread religious hatred and communal disharmony

PUNE The Maharashtra cyber police are on alert in the wake of the killing of a pharmacist in Amravati and tailor Kanhaiya Lal in Udaipur over their support to suspended Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson, Nupur Sharma. The state cyber police have identified 17 trends related to Sharma in the last four days, out of which action has been taken against three.

The state cyber police have identified 17 trends related to Sharma in the last four days, out of which action has been taken against three. (REPRESENTATIVE IMAGE)

According to the Maharashtra cyber police, these trends are intended to disrupt law and order and spread religious hatred and communal disharmony. While the cyber police have asked intermediaries to remove all 17 trends, three of them have been removed, informed Maharashtra Cyber Cell superintendent of police (SP) Sanjay Shintre.

Speaking to Hindustan Times, Shintre said, “In the last four days, we have identified 17 trends related to Sharma. Immediately after, we’ve started serving notices to intermediaries about the possibility of communal disharmony through such trends. They have also responded positively and the process of deletion has been started.’’ Shintre further informed that the state cyber police are keeping a watch on all social media posts related to Sharma to avoid the spread of communal disharmony.

The state police have alerted all their special units to make sure that the law and order situation stays in place. “The Maharashtra cyber cell is active every day but since the last four to five days, considering these developments, the cyber cell has been very proactive,” Shintre said.

On Monday, the police sounded an alert after central intelligence agencies shared inputs about the possibility of an attack on some individuals in Pune. Pune police asked Anand Dave, president, Brahman Mahasangh, to be ‘cautious’ while reacting on social media. On Tuesday, Dave confirmed that the Pune police have given police protection to him at his residence as well as to the Hindu Mahasabha office based in Pune. However, Dave said that he is not allowed to speak with media personnel.

The cyber department on Tuesday appealed to citizens not to share or post anything that would hurt anyone’s religious sentiments and disturb harmony. The cyber department warned that they are keeping a close watch on the cyber space and will take action against offenders.

In May, Sharma had made controversial comments about the prophet Mohammed on a television show. The remarks were later condemned by the government after they sparked angry responses from Muslim-majority countries in West Asia and Southeast Asia, many of which also summoned Indian envoys to place on record their displeasure. The BJP later suspended Sharma and expelled another spokesperson, Naveen Jindal, for the controversial remarks. Sharma is facing multiple FIRs, including one by the Delhi police, but hasn’t been arrested.