Uttar Pradesh Police has filed a criminal case against a youth for seeking oxygen for his grandfather via tweet.
This incident has been reported from Uttar Pradesh’s Amethi.
The Amethi Police informed that they have filed a criminal case against a youth who appealed for an oxygen cylinder via Twitter.
The charges include circulating a rumour “with intent to cause… fear or alarm… whereby any person may be induced to commit an offence against the State or against the public tranquility”.
The youth Shashank Yadav tagged the actor Sonu Sood in his tweet.
However, he provided no further information and did not even mention COVID-19 or any other ailment.
In subsequent re-tweets, Union minister Smriti Irani, who is the MP from Amethi was tagged.
Irani responded promptly to say she had tried to reach Shashank but had received no response.
Called Shashank thrice .. no response on the number shared by you in your tweet. Have alerted office of @DmAmethi & @amethipolice to find and help the person in need. https://t.co/4D3Nfe2Nue
— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) April 26, 2021
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On Tuesday noon, the Amethi District Magistrate tweeted Amethi Chief Medical Officer’s report saying that the man in question was not suffering from COVID-19 and had been undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Durgapur.
Later, on Tuesday evening, Amethi Police informed that the said grandfather had not been suffering from COVID and did not have a prescription for oxygen and had died of a ‘heart attack’.
“Spreading these kinds of rumours is not just condemnable but a criminal offence,” UP Police said.