Bloggers booked for ‘provocative’ posts; cops suspended for ‘excesses’

Ahmedabad: Patan Cybercrime police recently booked four bloggers for allegedly sharing videos of a police-led procession, a move that sparked criticism over selective enforcement, as similar visuals of police-conducted processions were often circulated "without legal action". Following allegations of excesses during the procession, the Patan superintendent of police ordered departmental action. Four policemen from the Local Crime Branch were suspended for alleged negligence and for "assaulting innocent persons" during the incident. According to the FIR registered on March 19, the bloggers allegedly uploaded and circulated "provocative" Instagram reels showing accused persons being paraded after their arrest in connection with a violent attack at a farmhouse in a village of Chanasma taluka on March 15. Police said a group armed with sticks and sharp weapons vandalized property and clashed with police personnel during the incident. Multiple cases were registered, and several accused were detained following the violence. During routine social media surveillance, police identified several accounts that shared videos of the procession. The posts, police claimed, had the "potential to incite enmity, spread fear and disturb public order". Based on these findings, a case was registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for promoting hostility and provocation.