Delhi Police Probes Viral Protest Rumours, Registers Four FIRs

NEW DELHI: A claim that five people were killed in police firing during a political march in Delhi has become one of the allegations at the centre of a wider police investigation into online misinformation surrounding protests in the capital.

Delhi Police has warned social media users against circulating unverified accounts of events, while pursuing legal action against handles accused of publishing fabricated or misleading material.

In one case highlighted by the force, a post alleged that police had opened fire during the INDIA bloc’s march towards the Supreme Court and urged people to take to the streets and bring the city to a halt.

Police challenged the claim in a statement on X on Monday, identifying the account involved as @indiantiwari01.

The force alleged that the account had previously circulated manipulated media, old video clips and invented narratives.

It cautioned users against forwarding the post and warned that the deliberate dissemination of malicious rumours could lead to prosecution.

The episode forms part of a broader enforcement drive.

Officials said four FIRs had been registered against social media accounts suspected of spreading false information connected with the protests.

According to police sources, approximately 500 posts deemed capable of generating rumours or public disturbance have been removed from online platforms.

Investigators are also examining claims circulated on October 10 that several people had died during demonstrations in Delhi.

Police officials described those reports as false and said the online activity was being scrutinised for material that could aggravate tensions or disrupt public order.

The inquiry has widened to include several accounts allegedly operating from Pakistan.

Police sources accused some of these handles of promoting anti-India narratives around the demonstrations.

Authorities said several Pakistan-based accounts had been deactivated during the operation, although the allegations against individual accounts remain subject to investigation.

The department has also approached X to request the removal of posts it considers objectionable or misleading.

Police teams are examining online content to identify questionable claims, establish how they are being circulated and determine whether further legal action is warranted.

The latest action underscores the role social media platforms can play in shaping public perceptions during politically sensitive events.

Delhi Police has said its monitoring efforts are intended to prevent unverified or fabricated information from provoking unrest. The investigation remains ongoing.

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