The Andhra Pradesh Police on Tuesday arrested two persons in separate instances for spreading fake news of a temple attack for propaganda purposes. The West Godavari police arrested 35-year-old Peraka Venkateswara Rao for spreading fake news about a temple attack in Eluru town. He was earlier convicted in the case and sentenced to eight months in jail on June 23, 2015, the official said.
Several news reports had claimed that an Anjaneya Swamy idol at Eluru was vandalised earlier in January, police say the incident actually took place in 2014. "It came to our notice that some persons are using this 2014 incident as propaganda material to spread fake news on the social media," said a district police official to IANS.
Police later registered a case under Sections 153-A (committing an offence in any place of worship) and 295-A (deliberate and malicious intention of outraging the religious feelings) of the Indian Penal Code.
Police clarified that the Anjaneya Swamy idol incident occurred in 2014 and a case was registered then under Sections 295 ( destruction, damage, or defilement of a place of worship) and 427 (commits mischief) of the IPC at Eluru town police station.
The Prakasam district police also arrested one person for allegedly dubbing the damage due to corrosion to the Singarayikonda temple arch idols as an 'attack.' In this particular case, police identified 33 persons for spreading false information on the social media, of whom six were earlier arrested from different places.
Prakasam district Superintendent of Police Siddharth Kaushal on Tuesday visited multiple places to strengthen surveillance system, 24x7 beat and patrol systems for the security of all temples and religious places.
He met with members of the village and mandal defence committees and gave suggestions on their security.
On Tuesday evening, Director General of Police Goutam Sawang held a videoconference with all districts police officials over the temple incidents in the state.