Keonjhar: Keonjhar Town Police arrested four persons for spreading fake coronavirus news on social media and forwarded them to court Sunday. Police alleged that the four had been spreading rumours by circulating the picture of a news channel. The four have been identified as Manas Kumar Mohanta, Suryanaryan Ghana, Trilochan Barik and Jitu Pradhan.
Sources said Manas took a TV picture on his mobile phone when a news channel was announcing March 31 the discovery of the person who had tested positive for coronavirus in Bhadrak. After taking the picture, Manas edited it and claimed that a man hailing from Keonjhar district has been identified as a COVID-19 patient. He then forwarded the picture to one of his groups. As the picture went viral it created panic among the people of Keonjhar town.
Coming to know about the development, the news channel filed an FIR against the circulation of the picture. Acting upon the complaint, police found out the four and took them into custody. They were booked under the Epidemic Diseases Act of 1897 for spreading false information and rumours. Police have warned that those spreading false news and rumours on coronavirus may face prison terms also.
PNN