In Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, separate First Information Reports (FIRs) were lodged on Monday against the official X (formerly Twitter) handles of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress party. The action was taken for posting what the police described as 'misleading, objectionable, and inflammatory' content regarding the death of a woman in the Karanda area of the district.
Police Action Against Social Media Posts
Ghazipur's Assistant Superintendent of Police (City), R.K. Mishra, confirmed that cases have been registered against the X handles, including the Congress account @INDIndia and the Samajwadi Party Media Cell (@mediacellsp). The police alleged that these accounts circulated baseless, misleading, and false comments, spreading rumors related to the Katariya village incident.
Background of the Incident
On April 15, the body of a woman was recovered from a river in the Karanda area. Following the postmortem report, her father lodged a murder case against two individuals, including Hariom Pandey, who was later arrested. On April 22, an attempt by Samajwadi Party functionaries to visit the woman's home led to a violent clash. Consequently, the police filed an FIR against 246 people, including two SP Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs). Subsequently, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav called for supporters to reach the village on April 29.
Administrative Measures
In light of these developments, the Ghazipur administration imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) to prevent gatherings and maintain law and order. Additionally, a Congress delegation from Varanasi attempting to travel to Katariya village to meet the family was stopped by the police.
