West Bengal police are monitoring social media closely to address misinformation campaigns amid incidents of violence in the state. Police have taken the step in the wake of similar incidents in Bengal’s Chopra and Ariadaho, which led to the spread of unverified videos.
On Thursday, Bengal DG Sanjay Mukherjee, ADG Law and Order Manoj Verma, and ADG IB Javed Shamim held an important meeting with all SPs in this regard.
The agenda of the high-stakes talks included preparations for Muharram, the Rath Return Yatra, the annual TMC Martyrs Day on July 21, and overall law and order management.
Sources indicate that clear instructions were given during the meeting for police to proactively respond to the spread of false information and misleading videos on social media. Officers have been directed to take strong action against those disseminating misinformation.
Given the significance of the upcoming events—Muharram and the TMC Martyrs Day—there is a heightened focus on security, management, and misinformation. The police have begun using the social media platform ‘X’ to share their versions of incidents and update the public on their actions.
In the case of the Ariadaho viral video, Barrackpur police shared details about the video and the actions taken regarding it. Sources within the administration suggest that addressing misinformation directly on social media helps to counter its spread effectively.
For the management of Muharram and the TMC Martyrs Day, senior officials have been provided with 29 specific guidelines. Special emphasis has been placed on ensuring the highest level of alertness, particularly for Muharram due to its sensitivity.
Sources said no “Dadagiri” or kangaroo courts will be tolerated. After the recent Hathras stampede in Uttar Pradesh, sources said additional attention will be given to crowd management and a special SOP will be released to address this issue.
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