Talcher: Kaliyari Police arrested Tuesday night a youth in Angul district for allegedly for spreading fake news pertaining to the coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19). The accused has been identified as Jayakrushna Sahu (25) alias Rinku, a resident of Badasingada village under Talcher block.
According to sources, Sahu had posted on his Facebook page a new that a youth in Angul district had tested positive for coronavirus in New Delhi and died. However the news turned out to be fake following which he was booked and arrested.
It should be stated here that in its guidelines to check the spread of coronavirus in Odisha the government has said that action will be taken against those who spread rumours and unauthenticated news regarding the disease. It had said that under sections 2, 3 and 4 of the ‘Epidemic Diseases Act 1897’ such acts of fake news are punishable offences.
PNN