Social media rumours trigger mob violence in Bengal

Twelve people have been arrested in this connection.

Kolkata:  Mob violence was reported from different areas of the North 24 Parganas district West Bengal following the rumours regarding miscreants roaming around shared with graphic images on social media, recently, police said on Wednesday.

The Diamond Harbour district police have set up a control room to create awareness, to curb the rumours tantamounting to 'fake news' reporting and preventing the violence.

"Since last 10 days, certain images like slit throat were shared on WhatsApp along with the rumours of miscreants associated with kidney theft roaming around. Mograhat, Diamond Harbour and Falta are worst affected," the officer in charge told IANS.

With the efforts of the police, the local bodies and administrative officials, the situation was "now a little better," he said.

"The investigation is on and one man who circulated the message has been traced. He is being interrogated, but arrest of actual culprits will take time. We just feared a communal violence breaking out due to the rumours," he said.

On Saturday Suman Das, a hawker from Odisha, was killed by a mob in Mograhat as people took him to be a child kidnapper. Twelve people have been arrested in this connection.

The awareness programmes are being carried out in the district. Police also rescued certain victims targeted by the people on grounds of suspicion.

IANS