FIRs against 140 social media handles for 'misleading' Kumbh content
What's the story
Authorities in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh have intensified their crackdown on misinformation surrounding the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela.
Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Vaibhav Krishna confirmed that 13 First Information Reports (FIRs) have been registered against 140 social media handles for sharing misleading content about the event.
"Thirteen FIRs have been registered against 140 social media handles that shared misleading content," Krishna told ANI.
Misinformation spread
False claims of train fire incident debunked
In a similar development, police had earlier acted against 34 social media accounts for propagating false claims about a train fire.
A viral video falsely claimed that 300 people died in a blaze on a train headed to the Maha Kumbh on February 14.
However, police investigations found that the footage was from a 2022 incident in Bangladesh where the Parbat Express caught fire on the Dhaka-Sylhet railway line.
Event attendance
Maha Kumbh Mela witnesses massive turnout
The event, which will end on February 28, has witnessed a massive turnout, with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath stating that over 620 million devotees have visited the Maha Kumbh Mela.
The UP government's information department said nearly 8.773 million people took a holy dip at Triveni Sangam on Sunday alone.
Crowd management
Extensive crowd control measures implemented at Ayodhya Dham
To handle the rush of devotees, elaborate crowd control measures have been put in place at Ayodhya Dham Railway Station.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Yashwant Singh emphasized enhanced security and barricading measures, with over 350 personnel deployed.
"We have increased alertness ahead of the Mahakumbh "snan" on Maha Shivratri. Additional security has been deployed here... Barricading has been done all around," Singh said.