Delhi blast: Nine more arrested in Assam for 'offensive' social media posts, tally rises to 15

Guwahati: Nine more people have been arrested in Assam for putting up "offensive" social media posts following the Delhi blast, taking the total number of apprehensions in this regard to 15, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Thursday.

The fresh arrests have been made since Wednesday night.

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"In connection with the offensive social media posts following the Delhi blast, 15 persons have been arrested across Assam so far," Sarma posted on X.

"In addition to the six arrests made yesterday, overnight, we arrested Rafijul Ali (Bongaigaon), Forid Uddin Laskar (Hailakandi), Inamul Islam (Lakhimpur), Firuj Ahmed alias Papon (Lakhimpur), Shahil Shoman Sikdar alias Shahidul Islam (Barpeta), Rakibul Sultan (Barpeta), Nasim Akram (Hojai), Taslim Ahmed (Kamrup) and Abdur Rohim Mollah alias Bappy Hussain (South Salmara)," he added.

Assam Police remain uncompromising against those who glorify violence, Sarma asserted.

The chief minister on Wednesday said he has instructed the police to arrest those who have welcomed the blast in their social media posts.

He said 35 people from different districts of the state have been identified in this connection.

"We will investigate their links and if we find that anyone has links with Bangladesh or anyone other country, we will take very tough action against them," the CM said.

Minors and those who were unaware that their devices were used to make such posts will not be arrested, but those responsible will not be spared, Sarma said.

He said that many are deleting their posts now, but "we have taken the screenshots and will be tough in this regard".

He alleged that it was the same set of people who were protesting at Zubeen Kshetra against the government and were now putting up social media posts welcoming the Delhi blast.

A high-intensity explosion ripped through a slow-moving car at a traffic signal near the Red Fort metro station on Monday evening, killing 12 people and injuring several others.