Hindupur Police Open Rowdy Sheets Over Posts on Shivaji Procession

Anantapur: Hindupur police have arrested two youth for posting provocative statements on social media over the rally organised in Hindupur of Satya Sai district on occasion of Chhatrapati Shivaji Jayanti. Further, rowdy sheets are to be opened against six others over the issue.

Satya Sai district SP S. Sathish Kumar told media at Hindupur on Tuesday the youth aged 19 years and 20 years used artificial intelligence tools to incite communal hatred. Cases have been registered against them under Sections 196 and 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and relevant provisions of the IT Act. The two accused have been produced before the court and remanded to judicial custody.

Further, notices have been issued under Section 41A to six other individuals for forwarding the inflammatory posts related to communal discord. Police summoned them along with their parents and counselled them.

SP Satish Kumar stated that rowdy sheets are being opened against a total of eight individuals involved in the incident. He pointed out that rowdy sheets at the young age of 19–20 years can severely impact their future. The SP went on to warn that repetition of such acts would invite stringent action under the PD Act, including possible externment from the city.

Satish Kumar underlined that Hindupur has remained peaceful. Any attempt to incite religious or caste tensions through social media posts will be dealt with firmly. He maintained that administrators of social media accounts and groups will be held fully responsible for any objectionable content posted in their groups. Action would be taken against admins on par with those who create or post such content.

The SP advised parents to closely monitor their children’s social media usage and intervene if any misuse is noticed. He warned that once criminal cases are registered, they can severely jeopardise the future of young individuals.