Maharashtra Cyber Cracks Down On Inflammatory Content After Nagpur Violence

The Maharashtra Cyber, the state’s central authority for cybersecurity and cybercrime enforcement, has initiated swift action against social media accounts spreading inflammatory content related to the violence that broke out in Nagpur on March 17.

In collaboration with the Nagpur City Cyber Police Station, the department has pinpointed multiple social media accounts spreading objectionable material intended to incite unrest.

Maharashtra Cyber’s investigation uncovered a Facebook account, allegedly operated from Bangladesh, which posted threatening content aimed at escalating communal tensions in Nagpur.

The post, made by a user claiming to be from Bangladesh, downplayed the recent violence as a ‘small incident’ and warned of potentially larger riots in the future.

Authorities have now launched a thorough investigation into this account.

140 Instances Of Objectionable Content Reported

Maharashtra Cyber has reported over 140 instances of inflammatory content across multiple social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

In response, the department has issued notices under Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000, to have this content taken down immediately.

Authorities have however issued notices under Section 94 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, to track the real identities of those behind these posts.

Legal Action Imminent

The department has warned of strict legal action against those spreading provocative and communal content.

According to a statement released late Wednesday night by the office of the Additional Director General of Police, Maharashtra State Cyber Department, the content being circulated is intentionally designed to inflame religious sentiments, deepen divisions between communities, and escalate tensions in the region.

Threat To Social Harmony

The Maharashtra Cyber Department emphasized that these actions not only violate the law but also threaten the peace and stability of the state.

“The material seeks to provoke the public and create discord, which poses a serious risk to social harmony,” the department said. It urged citizens to be cautious about sharing unverified or inflammatory content online.

The department has reaffirmed its commitment to identifying and prosecuting individuals who misuse digital platforms to disrupt communal peace.

Maharashtra Cyber will continue to monitor online spaces, including social media, to swiftly act against any content that threatens public order or national security.

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