Tension on fake news on migrant workers has died down, says T.N. DGP
The Hindu
‘No fresh feed in social media in the last four hours; police are monitoring situation round the clock’
A multi-pronged strategy and swift action by the Tamil Nadu police helped to prevent “fake” news shared in social media about the “killing of migrant workers” in Tamil Nadu, from snowballing into a major crisis, Mr. Babu said.
“Migrant workers of the northern States are living peacefully without any fear, and completely safely, in Tamil Nadu. It is hereby informed that details of those spreading false news to disturb the peace and create tension, are being collected by the police and strict action will be taken against them,” the police officer warned.
“The issue has now died down, and in the last four hours (till Saturday evening), there is no fresh feed on this issue on social media,” he told The Hindu in Madurai on Saturday. Mr. Babu said the Tamil Nadu police issued a rebuttal to the fake news immediately after noticing it in the social media on Thursday night.
Meanwhile, with some of the newspapers in other States also carrying the “fake” news, added to the confusion. “Since, people had trust in the mainstream media, relatives of the migrant workers living in Tamil Nadu were worried, and they started to call them back home,” he added.
“Videos of migrant workers explaining the real situation in Tamil Nadu were posted on social media. Superintendents of Police also made videos in Hindi and shared them with the workers. This gave them the much-needed assurance,” Mr. Babu added.
Besides, special control rooms had been set up for migrant workers in Tiruppur, Coimbatore and Erode.
After a warning by the Tamil Nadu police, the fake news peddlers took down their posts on Friday.