Kerala political murders: Cops to book group admins over 'fake' news on social media

The police said that several messages inciting communal hatred were being circulated after the murders of BJP leader Ranjith Sreenivas and SDPI's KS Shan.
A collage of SDPI leader KS Shan and BJP leader Ranjith Sreenivas
A collage of SDPI leader KS Shan and BJP leader Ranjith Sreenivas
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In view of the recent back-to-back murders of two political activists in the state, Kerala Director General of Police (DGP) Anil Kant on Friday, December 24, directed district police chiefs to take stringent action against those spreading fake news and false message through social media and the admins of such platforms who allow discussion on them. “It has been noticed that several messages, inciting communal hatred, are being circulated through social media after the murders of the BJP functionary Ranjith Sreenivas and SDPI's KS Shan earlier this week,” Kant said in Thiruvananthapuram in a statement.

"The admins of social media groups who permit discussions (inciting communal hatred) will be booked. The cyber wing of the state police has been asked to intensify its surveillance in all districts to check such propaganda," he said.

Not just those directly involved in the murders, but also its perpetrators, those provided them weapons, phones and logistics support would be nabbed at the earliest, he said, adding that action would be taken to find the source of money of criminal gangs.

The DGP also directed to prepare a list of criminals and history-sheeters belonging to both groups on a district-level basis, arrest absconding criminals and also ensure that those released on bail are not violating the bail conditions. Police on Thursday, December 23, made it clear that as many as 30 cases had been registered across the state in the last five days against some people for spreading provocative messages through social media platforms in a manner that incites communal hatred. One person was arrested in a case registered by the West Police in Kollam district in this regard, an official statement said.

Shan, the state secretary of SDPI, was killed by a gang last Saturday night while he was on his way home in Alappuzha, while the BJP OBC Morcha state secretary Ranjith Sreenivas was hacked to death in front of his family by some assailants in his house on Sunday morning in the same district.

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