3 FIRs filed over misleading social media posts on Char Dham Yatra; monitoring stepped up

Dehradun, April 24 The Uttarakhand government has intensified action against the spread of misleading and unverified information related to the Char Dham Yatra on social media, with police registering three FIRs so far in such cases.

Officials said that two fresh FIRs have been lodged in Rudraprayag district in connection with the circulation of false content, taking the total number of cases to three.

The action follows continuous monitoring of social media platforms, where certain videos and reels were found to contain misleading claims about arrangements at Kedarnath Dham.

According to the authorities, some of these posts alleged that pilgrims were being turned away without "darshan", forced to wait in queues for up to 15 hours without access, and that there was a lack of police presence and crowd management. Officials said these claims were baseless and did not reflect the actual situation on the ground.

They maintained that pilgrims are being facilitated in a regulated and phased manner, with proper arrangements in place to ensure smooth "darshan".

The government said the circulation of such content was aimed at creating confusion among the public, damaging the image of the Char Dham Yatra, and generating unnecessary fear and mistrust.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has directed officials to take immediate and strict legal action against those found spreading misinformation or rumours related to the pilgrimage.

He has also asked authorities to maintain round-the-clock surveillance on social media platforms and identify individuals responsible for such content.

Officials said legal proceedings have been initiated against the operators of the identified social media accounts. Other suspicious videos and digital content are also under scrutiny, and further action is expected.

The state government reiterated that any attempt to undermine the sanctity of the Char Dham Yatra, hurt the sentiments of devotees, or tarnish Uttarakhand’s image will not be tolerated, and strict action will continue against those responsible.

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