To curb disinformation regarding violence and hostility towards north Indian migrant labourers in Tamil Nadu, the Tiruppur Cyber Crime Police have formed a special team. The team will be headed by Sornavalli, Cyber Crime Inspector of Police, and is expected to take action against those who spread false videos and rumours claiming north Indian workers are under attack in Tamil Nadu.
A press release issued by the Tiruppur police said that the team has been monitoring social media activity and traced a fake video claiming attacks on migrant workers to a 23-year-old Bihar native named Rupeshkumar. Rupeshkumar had posted the video anonymously, with the account name ‘CBL Media’. A case was registered at the Tiruppur police station in connection with the video on March 5. Following this, a special team led by Sub-Inspector K Rajinikanth apprehended Rupeshkumar from Telangana. The press release stated that he has been produced before a magistrate and sent to judicial custody.
On March 2, Tamil Nadu Directorate General of Police (DGP) Sylendra Babu issued a statement clarifying that Bihari migrant labourers in Tamil Nadu were not in danger. The video statement was issued after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar alluded to media reports of attacks on Bihari migrant workers in Tamil Nadu. Nitish Kumar was reportedly referring to an article from the Hindi daily Dainik Bhaskar which falsely claimed that Bihari migrant labourers were being subject to ‘Talibani’ style attacks in Tamil Nadu. Several other allegations were made by the newspaper which was later found to be false. The Tiruppur North police booked an editor of Dainik Bhaskar under sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups) and 505(i)(b) (intent to cause fear or alarm to the public) of the Indian Penal Code.
On March 3, the Tamil Nadu Labour Welfare and Skill Development Department also issued a statement refuting the claims that north Indian migrant workers are under attack in the state. The state’s Chief Minister MK Stalin interacted with migrant workers in a factory in Tirunelveli on March 7 and enquired about their well-being. Meanwhile, senior Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader and former Union Minister TR Baalu met Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in Patna and presented a report sent by CM Stalin on the steps taken by the Tamil Nadu government for the security of migrant workers from north India.