Five detained for spreading rumours about J&K polls

Five persons have been detained for allegedly spreading rumours and promoting boycott of elections due in Jammu and Kashmir, on social networking sites and messaging applications, police said here today.
"Police have detained five (online) social network users for spreading rumours, exaggerating incidents and promoting poll boycott on social networking sites particularly Facebook and Whatsapp," a police spokesman said.
The detainees were identified as Sajad Mir and Tabeeb Sheikh of Khanyar Srinagar, Shaukat Salafi of Naidkhai Bandipora and Zahid Hamid and Muneeb Farooq Wani of Hardpora Anantnag.
The spokesman said police has identified a number of persons found involved in such activities and cases are being registered against them for putting up such "fake" posts.

Police would continue to take stringent action against such users who are found to be involved in promoting "fake" news, exaggerating incidents and promoting polling boycott on their pages and accounts, he said.
Action against such elements would continue, the spokesman said, adding most of such "mischief-mongers" were being continuously identified.