Cops begin drive against online rumour mongers

According to sources, the sleuths of the cyber crime wing have been tracking those messages circulated in social media forums that ISIS sympathisers were planning bomb attacks in a slew of religious institutions in Coimbatore.

In the aftermath of the recent arrest of alleged ISIS sympathisers from the district, several hatred posts were doing the rounds on WhatsApp and Facebook, which may trigger communal tension, a senior police officer said.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on June 12 arrested Muhammed Azaruddin (32) and Sheik Idayadullah (38) from Coimbatore for their purported links with the banned SIMI organisation.

Similarly, three others-namely Muhammed Hussain, Sheik Habiulla and Shajahan-were arrested by the police for planning to launch attacks in religious institutions. They were reportedly planning to turn into suicide bombers.

In this backdrop, several rumours began to spread on social media that were shared widely. “With these fake messages being shared widely, the cyber crime police are investigating the source of the message. Inquiries are also on to check whether those people who created such fake messages are associated with any religious organization, and learn the intention behind them doing so,” said a senior police official.

The police have also urged the public not to share fake messages without verifying the facts as it may lead to unnecessary tension.