Jajpur: Jajpur police Friday arrested a man on charges of spreading rumours about coronavirus outbreak in the district on social media. The accused has been identified as Samir Kumar Rout, a resident of Serapur in Bari block.
According to a source, the youth had allegedly posted fake news regarding a person in Dharamsala locality being affected with coronavirus on social media. However, the report turned out to be false prompting police to take stringent action against the man.
Earlier, Ganjam police arrested March 24 a youth on charges for spreading rumours on coronavirus outbreak in the district on social media.
It may be mentioned here that the Odisha government has prepared and issued ‘Odisha COVID-19 guidelines’ on basis of sections 2, 3 and 4 of the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897 which makes the act of spreading rumours a punishable offence under the law.