Eleven people, including women, who were arrested for spreading fake news about coronavirus on social media, have been released on Wednesday.
Inspector general of police (headquarters) John Neihlaia said the 11 persons were arrested on Tuesday evening following a suo-moto case filed by the Mizoram Police.
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“All the arrested persons have been released on bail on Wednesday,” said Neihlaia.
He said a case has been registered with the Vaivakawn police station under section 505 (1) (b) of the IPC against the 11 for spreading fake news on WhatsApp groups about coronavirus.
The police officer said in a fake news report under the headline ‘breaking news’ said: “Suspected patient of coronavirus is being detected at ITI veng in Aizawl. The patient has returned from Singapore and was taken by officials after she refused to be quarantined at Zoram Medical College (ZMC)”.
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Another rumour said: “I have come to learn from my relative working at Aizawl Civil Hospital that a confirmed coronavirus case was reported in Aizawl. Please be careful”.
These lies were widely circulated on WhatsApp groups on Monday evening at a time the state chief minister was convening a high-level meeting on coronavirus.
On investigation, the police discovered that a woman aged 31 years returned from Singapore on March 2 and had undergone screening at Kolkata airport and Lengpui airport after her arrival in India.
Neihlaia said the woman did not show any symptom of coronavirus and was in good health.
He said the news on coronavirus were totally false as there are no such cases in Mizoram so far.