July 20, 2018

"They should be influential, respected & peace-loving members of the society with a clean image,” UP Police.

Uttar Pradesh Police will raise a contingent of more than 3,67,000 digital volunteers to counter fake news on social media platforms that's “creating a law-and-order problem” & “disturbing communal harmony” in the state, Director General of Police OP Singh said on Thursday.

The DGP said that this “digital army” will comprise 250 volunteers from each of the 1,469 police stations zones across the state.

“It'll counter fake news being spread on social media by anti-social elements. Rumours incite people of different communities & create a law-and-order problem,” DGP Singh told reporters. “The plan has been initiated in view of the deaths of innocent people across the state as well the country due to false news and rumours on WhatsApp & other social media platforms,” he added.

The DGP said the move by the BJP-led UP govt. followed the Union govt. writing to messaging platform WhatsApp to take action to curb fake news.

Fake videos & rumors of child-lifting circulated via WhatsApp have triggered lynchings in at least 8 states this year .

Earlier this month, WhatsApp listed measures to prevent the spread of false information in India. “We’re horrified by these terrible acts of violence & wanted to respond quickly to the very important issues you have raised,” it said in a letter to the Union govt.

On Thursday, the UP Police uploaded a “digital volunteer form” on its website for the selection of digital volunteers & has formed committees headed by the state’s 75 district police chiefs - usually a superintendent of Police or a senior superintendent of police.

The selection committees will also include additional SPs, circle officers & station houses officers (SHOs) of the Police Stations. Singh said the volunteers will include at least 2 people from each village, town, ward & locality.

“They should be influential, respected & peace-loving members of the society with a clean image,” he added.

The plan is to appoint school principals, teachers, retired govt servants, police pensioners, former & sitting legislators, journalists, activists of social organisations, former & siting village pradhans, members of block development councils, rural health workers, doctors, advocates, fair price shops owners, priests, clerics, businessmen, civil defence personnel, home guards & special police officers (drafted by the local police as a part of community policing).

Explaining how the network will work, the DGP said police stations will create their own WhatsApp groups, which'll be connected with the groups including district officers. “These will, in turn, be connected to the group monitored by the DGP headquarters,” he said. The volunteers will not be paid for being a part of the “digital army”.

On Tuesday, the Apex Court condemned mob lynching incidents across the country and urged Parliament to enact a law to deal with the crime.

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