Police in Cooch Behar arrested a youth for allegedly circulating misleading information on social media about the tragic stampede in the Chorebagan Durga Puja pandal in north Calcutta on the evening of October 17.
Ainul Haque was arrested on Monday evening from an area near Budhbazar in Cooch Behar town by a team from the Kotwali police station, police sources said.
Police sources said Haque was linked to the circulation of objectionable and unsubstantiated information on social media concerning the Chorebagan stampede, which killed 19 persons and injured around 25 others. Apparently, the youth inflated the stampede toll and made various false claims to spread panic.
Investigators are examining his social media accounts and the posts in question to establish the facts.
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“Police officers are gathering more information about the youth and the posts. They are checking whether the posts have led to any repercussions in society,” said a source.
Chief minister Suvendu Adhikari said on Tuesday that the police had been acting against those spreading what he described as "fake narratives" about the Chorebagan tragedy on social media.
He said he instructed the police to register cases under non-bailable sections even against those who shared or liked such posts or online content, particularly those apparently originating in Bangladesh.