Kerala Blasts: 54 Cases Lodged Over Communally Instigative Content On Social Media

Kerala Police has registered 54 cases for spreading communally instigative contents through social media in the aftermath of the blasts in Kochi.

Kerala Police on Saturday said it has registered 54 cases for spreading communally instigative contents through social media in the aftermath of the recent blasts at a Christian prayer meet near Kalamassery in Kochi, as reported by the news agency PTI. According to the Police, the most number of 26 cases was registered in Malappuram district, followed by 15 in Ernakulam and five cases in Thiruvananthapuram.

Two cases each have been reported in Thrissur City and Kottayam, while Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Palakkad, and Kozhikode Rural have one case each.

In a release, the police stated that several fake profiles have been identified that have been used to share posts that can instigate communal hatred. "Requests have been made to Facebook, Instagram, X, WhatsApp and other social media platforms to identify the IP addresses of such fake profiles. The cyber cell in the state is functioning round the clock to identify such handles," the release said, as quoted by PTI.

Last Sunday, multiple explosions rocked a religious gathering in Kalamassery, Kochi leaving over 50 people injured. Kerala Health Minister confirmed that one woman, who had sustained 90 per cent burns in the explosions, had succumbed to her injuries, news agency PTI reported. CM Vijayan had called the incident "unfortunate" assuring that the issue was being taken "very seriously".  Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday directed the NSG and NIA teams to investigate the incident.

Later in the day, an individual claiming to be a member of the Jehovah's Witnesses religious group has claimed responsibility for the multiple blasts. The man, who identified himself as Dominic Martin, released a video message on a social media platform, subsequently aired on various TV channels, news agency PTI reported.

Days after the blast, the Kerala police had registered two cases against Union Minister of State Rajeev Chandrasekhar for allegedly making statements that promote enmity between different groups through social media posts in connection with the recent blasts in Kochi.