LUCK: In a concerted crackdown on organizations and individuals accused of “fomenting caste violence under the guise of seeking justice for the girl Hathras”, UP police presented FIRs in eight cities on Monday, arresting six people accused of spreading rumors to vitiate the atmosphere.
Without naming any political parties or organizations, the additional DGP (law and order), Prashant Kumar, told reporters in Lucknow that the police had learned of an organized campaign to keep up to date by playing on public sentiments and trying to buy to the family of the 19-year-old Dalit who died after being allegedly raped by four upper caste men.
“Various groups have used social media platforms to spread hatred, inciting people along caste lines and organizing illegal gatherings amid the pandemic,” Kumar said. “Some of these groups even offered 50 lakh rupees to the victim’s family to speak on their behalf.” Six of the 19 FIRs have stayed at Hathras.
An FIR registered at the Chandpa police station in Hathras is against those who allegedly tried to instigate the victim’s relatives to speak out against the local government and administration. Kumar said the family was asked to say they were not satisfied with the aid announced by the government.
Another FIR at the same police station mentions unidentified groups, all of whom have been booked for sedition and incitement to caste violence. Some of the other charges are promoting enmity between different groups on the grounds of religion, accusations, claims harmful to national integration, and falsification for the purpose of misleading and damaging someone’s reputation. Sections of the TI Act have also been imposed on defendants. Cases have also been filed in Bijnor, Bulandshahr, Lucknow, Prayagaraj, Mathura, Shamli and Saharanpur for “illegal protests” and incitement through social media.
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