366 FIRs over 'communal' social media posts in UP in a year: Police ADG

In Uttar Pradesh, 366 FIRs have been lodged in a year over allegations of disruption to communal harmony through posts and comments on various social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, the state police said on Wednesday.

UP Police's Additional Director General (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar said police in districts across the state regularly monitor online activities through their social media cell and ensure action over objectionable content.

His statement detailing such cases came soon after the police in Ghaziabad lodged an FIR against social media giant Twitter, some journalists and opposition politicians over them sharing a video clip -- about an attack on an elderly Muslim man by some young men – and claimed to be their intentional attempt at disrupting peace.

"Between June 1, 2020 and May 31, 2021, a total of 118 cases have been lodged across Uttar Pradesh in which rumours or misinformation was shared on social media platforms through posts or comments," ADG Kumar said.

"Another 366 cases were lodged during the same period over social media posts and comments that disrupted communal harmony in the state," the officer stated in a statement.

Besides these, 623 cases were lodged over social media users misusing the platform for any other reason by their posts or comments, he added.

"Overall, 1,107 such cases have been lodged across the state over the past one year and further proceedings in them are being carried out at district level," Kumar said.

He said social media content is reviewed every day at the UP Police headquarters in Lucknow and necessary guidelines and instructions are issued to police at district level.