India - violence in 24 Parganas: online profiles of people engaged in communal propaganda, fake posts (report in TOI)

The Times of India

Arrested trio have many online profiles
Dwaipayan Ghosh | TNN | Jul 10, 2017, 06.21 AM IST

KOLKATA: An initial investigation into the inflammatory and allegedly fake posts on the social media, which started off widespread clashes in parts in North 24 Paraganas, indicated that the three suspects rounded up so far worked on similar lines.

All the three--picked up from Nakasipara in Nadia, Sonarpur and Bhangar in South 24 Parganas--had multiple social media profiles and followed a certain pattern. One of the arrested accused claimed to be "working under pressure", the police said. An officer, however, said it was too early to confirm whether the three were working on their own or were part of a larger group looking to fan hatred. But he pointed out the posts could be linked to a group of individuals, living in Bengal and abroad; two of them--one with physical disabilities from Bengal were suspected to be the brain behind.

But such trails often led to IP addresses registered abroad, which proved to be a handicap. DGP Surajit Kar Purkayashtha told TOI on Sunday, "We have been receiving multiple inputs.Strong action will be taken against the accused. The Bengal Police and Kolkata Police are working together to arrest the culprits. I would again appeal to people to exercise restraint while using the social media."

Police said they were raiding two places on the outskirts of the city in search of two, one of whom shared a photo from Bangladesh, claiming it to be an "incident from Baduria".

Sources said a fake image, posted by Bhavatosh Chatterjee, who was arrested by the Kolkata Police's cyber crime cell from Sonarpur on Satur day , was shared by a Haryana BJP leader recently . The visual, a tweaked clip from a Bhojpuri Aurat Khilona Nahi', was film, `being passed off as the photo of torment on women at Baduria. "The accused, Chatterjee, had a mobile and a laptop that have been seized. We have sent them for forensic tests to ascertain whether he is an habitual offender or not," said JCP (crime) Vishal Garg. Chatterjee has so far reportedly evaded questions on his links with rightwing groups. "He told us he was under pressure. He refused to elaborate. He has been changing his statements," a cop said.

The intelligence branch has set up a social media cell to keep a tab on online posts. A source said the IB was enhancing the regulatory information-sharing mechanism with Facebook and Twitter.