Nine more people have been arrested in Assam for allegedly posting “offensive” content on social media following the Delhi blast, taking the total number of arrests in the state to 15, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Thursday.
The fresh arrests were made since Wednesday night, the Chief Minister confirmed.
“In connection with the offensive social media posts following the Delhi blast, 15 persons have been arrested across Assam so far,” Sarma posted on X.
The nine individuals arrested overnight were identified as Rafijul Ali from Bongaigaon, Forid Uddin Laskar from Hailakandi, Inamul Islam and Firuj Ahmed alias Papon from Lakhimpur, Shahil Shoman Sikdar alias Shahidul Islam and Rakibul Sultan from Barpeta, Nasim Akram from Hojai, Taslim Ahmed from Kamrup, and Abdur Rohim Mollah alias Bappy Hussain from South Salmara.
The Chief Minister asserted that Assam Police would remain uncompromising against those who glorify violence. “We will not spare anyone who celebrates or encourages acts of terror,” he said.
Sarma had earlier instructed the police to identify and arrest individuals who had expressed support for or welcomed the blast in their social media posts. According to him, 35 people from various districts of Assam have been identified so far in this connection.
Also read: Five held in Assam over inflammatory posts
“We will investigate their links, and if we find that anyone has connections with Bangladesh or any other country, we will take very tough action,” he warned.
The Chief Minister, however, clarified that minors and those unaware that their devices were used to post such messages would not be arrested. “But those responsible for spreading these posts will face strict action,” he added.
Sarma said several users had begun deleting their posts after realising the implications of their actions, but the authorities had already secured screenshots as evidence. “We have taken the screenshots and will be tough in this regard,” he said.
He also alleged that some of those celebrating the Delhi blast online were the same individuals who had earlier participated in protests against the government at Zubeen Kshetra in Guwahati.
A high-intensity explosion ripped through a slow-moving car at a traffic signal near Delhi’s Red Fort metro station on Monday evening, killing 12 people and injuring several others. The blast sent shockwaves through the capital, prompting heightened security measures nationwide.
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