Doda, November 28, 2024: Authorities in Doda district have apprehended a juvenile accused of spreading hateful comments on social media, an act deemed to have hurt religious sentiments and posed a potential threat to public order.
According to Doda Police, a complaint was filed at the local police station alleging that the juvenile (whose name has been withheld) made abusive remarks targeting a particular religion and a prominent Doda-based NGO head during a livestream. The incident, captured and widely shared on social media, raised concerns about communal tensions in the area.
An FIR (No. 290/2024) was swiftly registered under Sections 299/352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act and Section 67 of the Information Technology Act. Section 299 of the BNS Act pertains to the deliberate insult of religious sentiments through words, signs, or representations, with the intent to outrage such feelings. Section 352 addresses intentional insult aimed at provoking a breach of peace.
Acting on the complaint, law enforcement initiated immediate action, conducting overnight raids at multiple locations. The security apparatus in the region was placed on high alert to maintain law and order, ensuring the safety of local residents.
With the cooperation of community members, police successfully apprehended the juvenile. The individual was presented before the Principal Magistrate of the Juvenile Justice Board in Doda, who ordered the juvenile to be lodged in an observation home in Jammu for 15 days.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Doda, Sandeep Mehta, reiterated the district’s commitment to maintaining peace and order. “No lawbreaker will be spared,” Mehta said. “We will take strict legal action against anyone attempting to disrupt the district’s harmonious atmosphere.”
The incident has sparked widespread discussions about the role of social media in fueling communal tensions and the need for vigilance in monitoring harmful content.
Local sources confirmed to The Chenab Times that the hateful remarks had been livestreamed, with recordings subsequently circulating online, exacerbating concerns among the community.
Authorities have called on citizens to act responsibly on digital platforms and report inflammatory content to prevent similar incidents in the future.
(Updated: Additional information about 299/352 BNS Act was added in updated version)
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The Chenab Times News Desk
