Tripura bans internet, sms for 24 hours as rumour about child lifting creates panic

January 8: The Tripura government on Tuesday suspended mobile Internet and SMS services in the entire state for two days in the apprehension of law and order problem. The step was taken after crazed mobs beat three people to death in the latest cases of lynchings sparked by false rumours spread on smartphones.

As per a letter written by the Director general of Police (Tripura) to Principal Secretary (Home) of the state, it was stated that rumours are being mongered about presence of child lifters which has created panic in society. There have been incidents of attacks on people in isolated locations by people suspecting them to be child lifters. It has been noticed that SMS, WhatsApp and social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and YouTune are being widely used for transmission of fake images, videos and text messages which have potential to incite violence in the state at a larger rate.

Therefore in order to prevent misuse of the above mentioned media for mantaining law and order situation, the request for blocking the SMS, mobile internet and data services of all mobile service providers for the next 48 hours beginning from 14.00 hours of June 28 in the entire state of Tripura has been made.

As news of the body of an 11-year-old missing boy which was recovered on the night of June 27 rocked the state of Tripura, fake news also began to circulate that the boy was subject to inhuman atrocities with both his kidneys removed. And amidst the chaos, the state has been gripped by yet another social media rumour that child lifters have been doing the rounds in the state.

After social media platforms began sharing the fake news like wild fire, the Tripura police was compelled to come out with an advisory to ensure that the spreading of fake news was stopped at source.However even the above steps by police did not seem to contain the situation as reports of a man being lynched in the state emerged after rumours of him being a child lifter began doing the rounds on various social media platforms. As the situation seems to be moving out of hand, the Tripura police has mulled blocking the SMS, mobile internet and data services of all mobile service providers.