Ayodhya verdict: UP Police maintaining vigil on rumour mongers

Uttar Pradesh Police has adopted a four-pronged strategy to maintain peace in the communally-sensitive state in view of the Supreme Court judgment on the Ayodhya land dispute, a top police officer said on Saturday.

Police is checking hate and rumour mongers on social networking sites and has launched an extensive public outreach to build confidence of every section of society, he said.

Around 80 cases have been registered in past 10 days against people using social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook to spread wrong information with an aim to trigger communal riots in the state, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) P V Ramasastry told PTI.

"Out attempt has been to nip the evil in the bud," he said.

He said the police has adopted a four-pronged strategy which included extensive public outreach to build confidence of every section of society, deployment of forces in a planned manner and enhancing their operational efficiency with right equipment and resources.

"Starting from the beat constable, everyone was briefed and thoroughly explained in all districts so that there is no room for ambiguity. An outreach programme at local police station level has been initiated where people at large have been briefed," Ramasastry said.

The officer, however, said that more focus was on social media monitoring and to effectively counter the hate and rumour mongering.

"Whenever a tweet or a post, having a potential to spread disharmony within the public, was seen in social media, the person concerned was reached out within no time.

"We managed to convince them and the post was pulled out of the social media," he said, adding that in certain cases, UP Police has registered cases.

He said the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) also known as UP112 has been operational to provide timely and effective police response.

The Supreme Court on Saturday paved the way for the construction of a Ram Temple by a Trust at the disputed site at Ayodhya, and directed the Centre to allot an alternative 5-acre plot to the Sunni Waqf Board for building a new mosque at a "prominent" place in the holy town in Uttar Pradesh.