MHA, J&K Police ask Twitter to block accounts spreading rumours about Kashmir

The Home Ministry and Jammu and Kashmir police on Monday asked microblogging site - Twitter to suspend eight Kashmir-based accounts for spreading rumours. A top government official said that a malicious campaign has been unleashed on social media and international media to project a negative image of the situation in Kashmir.

Swayam Prakash Pani, Inspector General of Kashmir said, "There is a malicious campaign launched on the social media about the situation in Kashmir. We have taken it up with the service providers. This campaign has been manifested from outside."

Security forces have alleged that a desperate Pakistan has attempted to divide the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir. A verified Twitter user had claimed that there were differences among Indian security forces in Jammu and Kashmir.

WSK @WajSKhan tweeted that a Muslim Kashmiri cop had killed five CRPF personnel for refusing to let a pregnant woman cross a checkpoint. "Rifts emerging among Indian security forces deployed in #Kashmir. A Muslim Kashmiri policeman shot & killed five Indian CRPF personnel in a 'blue on blue' attack after they refused to let a pregnant woman by because she didn't have a curfew pass. Things on edge since that attack," the post on the verified Twitter handle read.

Jammu and Kashmir principal secretary Rohit Kansal said, "There have been some reports in the media about firing by security agencies and deaths, the police carried out a detailed briefing and I would like to reiterate and categorically deny that any firing incident has happened in Jammu and Kashmir."

Kansal further asserted that "not a single bullet has been fired by the security agencies nor has there been any casualty."

Additional Director-General Zulfikar Hasan said, "I deny the incident. I condemn this malicious content being spread on social media. Jammu Kashmir Police is brother in arms. It is unimaginable, that such an incident can even happen. I officially deny it and condemn it. This is part of propaganda by Pakistan."

Though the Valley has largely been cut off, there have been several handles under the scanner of the intelligence bureau and security grid who are constantly monitoring attempts to whip up sentiments from outside the country.

In what is being seen as Pakistan's desperate attempt to launch information warfare, the security grid is trying hard to dispel any rumours and mischievous campaign to spread panic among people.

The move comes amid a near-total communication blackout in the Valley. All modes of communication, including the internet and phones, have been snapped after the Centre revoked Jammu and Kashmir's special status under Article 370.

Mail Today on Monday reported that security agencies and cyber experts have found thousands of fake accounts have been created from Pakistan to peddle fake news, morphed pictures, and old videos to show India and armed forces in a bad light.

Sources in the central surveillance agency said Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the intelligence agency of Pakistan is on a hiring spree as they have started recruiting a pool of techies and hackers to wage information warfare by circulating fake information. Pakistani influences allegedly circulated doctored videos of Indian media coverage.