Ramganj violence: WhatsApp groups under police scanner

JAIPUR: Following the violence that erupted in Ramganj area last Friday, the Jaipur police are planning to crackdown on people running WhatsApp groups and spreading rumours against the government and police by sending misleading messages. The intelligence report on causes that led to the violence suggested that many misleading messages were circulated through various WhatsApp groups which actually added fuel to the fire.
In its investigations, the police have neither ruled out the possibility of the involvement of a group of Rohingya Muslims nor the possibility of planned violence.
An assistant commissioner of police has been assigned the task of investigating all the six FIRs registered in this matter, including the one by the SHO of Ramganj police station on the violence.
“How did a huge crowd gather outside the Ramganj police station in just one hour? What prompted them to set an ambulance and a bike on fire? These are just a few questions to be answered in our investigations. Primary investigations suggest that there were many misleading reports on the incident after a couple reached the Ramganj police station to report the case against the alleged thrashing by the police. Likewise, we have also got the CCTV footage of people gathered outside the police station who later set the ambulance and the bike on fire,” said a senior officer on condition of anonymity.
According to sources, police have not ruled out the possibility of the involvement of Rohingya Muslims as some months ago the police had prevented a similar incident in which the community was visibly involved.
When contacted, police commissioner Sanjay Agarwal said, “The investigation process is on and the case is wide open. We are not in a position to divulge much now. All that I can tell you is that we are not ruling out anything based on whatever inputs and circumstantial evidence we have received. I will also urge people not to use social networking platforms to share and circulate inflammatory and misleading messages that can disturb harmony. We will take stringent action against those who use these networking sites to disturb peace.”
On the relaxation in curfew on Wednesday, he said, “It went off peacefully and I am thankful to my men and also the people of Walled City for contributing to restore peace in the area.”
Meanwhile, schools opened and transport services resumed after the curfew was relaxed in four police station areas in the Walled City.