Mizoram Police registered criminal case against 2 persons for posting fake news

AIZAWL: Mizoram Police has registered a criminal case against two persons for posting false and misleading information on the social media.

On May 31, 2020, there was a post on Whatsapp group 'News Today' stating that "Rangvamual will be put under total lockdown from Monday. Yesterday one person from amongst those who recently returned from outside the State jumped out from vehicle at Phunchawng in an attempt to evade quarantine and because his whereabouts is still unknown. Phunchawng and nearby areas will be put under lockdown from Monday, in order to enforce strict vigil." The screenshot of this post was also widely circulated on various Whatsapp groups.

Fact Check: No such incident took place. Mizoram Police immediately began investigation.

The originators of this message have been identified as a 40-year-old resident of Aizawl, Venglai and a 40 year old resident of Phunchawng in Aizawl. During interrogation, they confessed that the post was purely based on hearsay. The fact is that all the persons who recently returned from outside the State were screened under strict vigil and first admitted to government quarantine facilities. Only those who were cleared for 'Community Quarantine Facility/Home Quarantine' were shifted again. A criminal case has been registered, stated a release.

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