1,800 DISTRESS CALLS MADE, OVER 20 HELD FOR RIOT-RELATED RUMOURS
Panic had gripped national Capital on Sunday evening following false rumours of violence
NEW DELHI: More than 1,800 distress calls were received by Delhi Police on Sunday evening from people panicked over riot-related rumours. The
law enforcement agency has arrested more than 20 people in the case.
According to data accessed by Millennium Post from West Delhi, as many as 481 calls were received whereas from South East Delhi, the city police got 413 calls. Panic gripped residents across the national Capital on Sunday evening fol
lowing false rumours of vio
lence but the police denied any incident and appealed for calm, days after riots in northeast Delhi claimed at least 42 lives.
The data further added that from Dwarka district, 310 emergency calls were received at the police control room (PCR) after rumours related to violence started doing rounds in Delhi on Sunday evening. "From Outer Delhi222 calls, South Delhi-127 calls, Rohini-168, Outer North-22, North West Delhi-54 calls were received," the data shows.
According to city police, they received 41 calls from Central Range whereas two calls were received from riotaffected North East Delhi. "From Shahdara-4 calls, East Delhi-6 calls, South West Delhi-30 calls were received," data added. Meanwhile, from New Delhi area no distress calls were received. The rumours prompted senior police officers to come on the ground and quell the hoax while also taking to social media to control panic.
According to Delhi Police, they have arrested 24 people for rumour-mongering on Sunday evening. The data revealed that 21 persons were arrested from North-west district whereas from Rohini-1 and South District-two people were nabbed. Meanwhile, the cyber cell of Delhi Police arrested one Abhishek Shukla (24) for spreading rumours about riots in Nihal Vihar area of west Delhi.
"The arrested accused has over 10,000 followers on social media and was using his following to spread rumours. His mobile phone has been recovered and the alleged social media post has been confirmed to have been posted from his profile. His further antecedents are being examined," reads the Delhi Police statement.
On Sunday, the Delhi
Metro Rail Corporation also shut down the entry and exit gates of seven metro stations but did not give any reason. The stations were reopened later. "Some unsubstantiated reports of tense situation in Southeast & West District are being circulated on social media. It is to reiterate that these are all rumours. Don't pay attention to such rumours," the Delhi police tweeted on Sunday.
Delhi Police Commissioner SN Shrivastava said that some anti-social elements are trying to disturb peace of Delhi through rumour mongering. “People should not believe in any unconfirmed reports they should verify the reports from central control room or district control room,” he said.
The top cop said that when Delhi'ites get agitated it will affect other people as well as communal harmony of the city. When asked about the bodies found from drains, the police chief said the legal process is still on.