SHILLONG: Three days after the mobile internet was restored, the state government has again disconnected the service for 48 hours from Saturday afternoon due to malicious postings by some social media users.
It was on June 13 that the home department had restored mobile internet in Khasi-Jaintia Hills and Ri Bhoi after it was disconnected on June 1 for the first time.
Panic spread in the city after the fresh ban on mobile internet as a section of people wanted to know whether it was the result of any further trouble.
However, police said that there was no trouble in the city and added that the move to disconnect mobile internet was to prevent any inflammatory postings.
A notification by Commissioner and Secretary in charge Home, S. Kharlyngdoh said he had received report from Director General of Police that a serious law and order continues to prevail in Khasi Hills, Jaintia Hills and Ri Bhoi having potential threat to public safety and messaging system like WhatsApp and social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and You Tube are likely to be used for the transmission of information like pictures, videos and texts that have the potential to inflame passions and thus exacerbate the law and order situation in the entire Khasi Hills, Jaintia Hills and Ri Bhoi. The notification further said that the prohibition on the use of social media for 48 hours from 3 pm on Saturday in East Khasi Hills, West Khasi Hills, South West Khasi Hills, Ri Bhoi, West Jaintia Hills and East Jaintia Hills is in order to prevent the misuse of such media to disturb peace and tranquility and for maintaining law and order.
According to the government, the violation of promulgation will be punishable under section 188 IPC and also under the provision of the Indian Telegraph Act 1885.
In a statement issued, the SP (city) Stephan Rynjah said that it has been observed that recently, some people with vested interests have posted provocative posts, hate messages, rumours and fake news in the social media which have lead to incitement of communal feelings and sense of insecurity in the minds of certain sections of society.
“It is an appeal that the public should desist from sending of such provocative hate posts, rumours and fake news in the social media so that normal situation can be restored in city at the earliest”, the police official said.
The official also said the people should not share or publicise such posts without verifying the authenticity of the same.
The police wanted moderators or administrators of various groups in social media to delete such messages, if any, posted in their groups.
“Meghalaya police is taking serious note of such posts and will initiate legal and criminal action against perpetrators of such provocative posts”, the official added.
