Mandya: Three arrested for spreading fake news on COVID-19
Mandya (BM): Three people have been arrested in various parts of Karnataka for spreading ‘fake news’ about coronavirus. On Saturday, there were tense moments in Pandavapura town (Mandya district) when a student spread fake news on social media claiming that a student of a prestigious college in town had tested positive for COVID-19.
The miscreant had even used the photograph of a final-year BA student stating that he had testing positive.
As the news went viral, the health officials along with police had to rush to college to screen the student. However, the college authorities who were unaware of this news till then, were shocked to learn that one of their students had tested positive. Then the student too said that he was perfectly well and had not travelled anywhere out of India and he had also not come in contact with any COVID-19 positive patient. The student then filed a police complaint. Based on this, the police arrested the final year BA student’s friend, who was apparently playing a prank.
On Friday, two persons were arrested in Chamarajangar for spreading fake news. Two miscreants, Nagendra and Lokesh, had morphed photographs of two people in a TV news format saying that the couple had tested positive for corona virus. The miscreants later admitted that they had spread fake news as they had personal rivalry with the two persons.
Meanwhile, as fake news is being spread on social media, Uttara Kannada deputy commissioner also said that it had come to his notice that many were spreading fake news about COVID-19 and action will be taken against such people.
