Police warn against spreading rumours on social media
Police said old and photoshopped pictures are being circulated on social media to dampen the spirit of the force
Police have urged people to remain alert about rumours on the coronavirus pandemic being spread on social media.
A vested quarter is circulating edited photos and videos of police on social media. They are using pictures of action taken by police during the BNP-Jamaat led arson attacks of 2011 and claiming them to be recent pictures, said a police headquarters press statement on Monday.
"General people are reacting to these photoshopped content and often sharing them. Such blatant lies are demotivating cops who risk their lives to tackle the spread of coronavirus," the statement added.
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Police faced a lot of criticism as several media reports claimed that law enforcers were adopting harsh measures to get people off the roads during the nationwide shutdown.
Those excesses have been responded with prompt action, claimed the statement.
"Police are interacting with millions of people every day. Among the countless interactions, allegations can rise against a few cops. But they have already faced action after investigation," the statement further said.
The inspector general of police is personally talking to the units and operation commanders.
Those incidents of excessive force to restrict movement did not reoccur. But some media outlets are running stories with old allegations, the statement added.
Such misinformation and rumours will be dealt with proper legal action.
Police cyber teams are looking for those circulating propaganda and misleading information on social media platforms, the statement added.
