Disturbing and doctored videos and pictures of violence from Uttar Pradesh to Gujarat to South American country Paraguay were shared on social media in Jharkhand’s Hazaribag district after a 17-year-old boy, Rupesh Pandey, was killed in Dolmuha village on February 6, police said.
The murder, which soon assumed communal overtones, has kept the entire area on the edge for over a week. In fact, a day after the incident, the administration had to suspend internet services for around two days across four districts to check misuse of social media, a first in Jharkhand.
In a crackdown on rumour mongering, a minor was detained and notices sent to over 100 people, police said.
“The boy was apprehended for circulating disturbing pictures and produced before the juvenile justice board. Besides, we have served notices to over 100 people for spreading propaganda videos, audios, pictures and messages after the incident. Notice has also been served to a digital news media Youtuber. We will take further action after we get replies from these people,” Hazaribag superintendent of police Manoj Chothe said.
The incident has snowballed into a major controversy, with the opposition BJP and its affiliates accusing the state government of appeasement and not acting against culprits.
{{/usCountry}}The incident has snowballed into a major controversy, with the opposition BJP and its affiliates accusing the state government of appeasement and not acting against culprits.
{{/usCountry}}The police, though, have filed seven cases so far, three on complaint of private persons and four by the administration, related to the murder and the violence after the incident.
In all, seven people have been arrested, police said.
State BJP chief stopped at Hazaribagborder
Meanwhile, Jharkhand BJP chief and Rajya Sabha member Deepak Prakash was stopped at Hazaribag border by the administration on Friday while he was on way to meet the family members of Pandey.
Prakash later staged a sit-in at the site along with Hazaribag MP and former union minister Jayant Sinha and Hazaribag MLA Manish Jaiswal.
“Besides practising appeasement, the Hemant Soren goverment has also become dictatorial. I was on way to meet Rupesh Pandey’s family but have been stopped at Charhi on Hazaribag border by the administration on directions from the government. I would like to remind the government that we would not stop till justice is ensured,” said Prakash.
While two prominent BJP leaders, former chief ministers Raghubar Das and Babulal Marandi, had met the vlctim’s family days after the incident, Delhi BJP leader Kapil Mishra was stopped at Ranchi airport while he was on way to Barhi to meet the family two days ago.