Rajasthan police warns against sharing ‘Woman Snatching Viral Video’ on social media

Jaipur: Rajasthan police have warned social media users to exercise caution when sharing an old video showing ‘a crime in progress’ in Rajasthan. The particular video has gone viral on social media.

The video showed a man forcibly taking a woman away from a rural set up. Many users of the social media “including some miscreants” started to share this video widely. The messages that accompanied the video alleged Rajasthan police of “inaction” and “apathy.”

“However, the fact is that soon after it was brought to the notice, Rajasthan Police had swung into action and acted as per law. Two accused in the case were arrested on September 16 and 17, 2017,” Rajasthan DGP OP Galhotra said.

The video pertained to a domestic dispute in Jodhpur Rural where the husband wanted to take his wife with him forcibly. An FIR no 197/2017 was filed on September 13, 2017 in this case in Baap Police Station in Jodhpur District (Rural) under sections 363, 354, 341, 323, 324 IPC. A charge sheet no 167/17 was filed on November 29, 2017 against the accused.

Galhotra said, “Social media platforms are powerful tools for dissemination and sharing of ideas and information. In the realm of policing it has great advantages including intelligence gathering. However, it also has some glaring disadvantages and therefore we advise people to be guarded in their enthusiasm to respond to such posts. These posts also have the potential to vitiate our social lives. Even though we celebrate and embrace it, we have to be vigilant against the perils of social media.”

Additional Director General of Police, Crime, Sri Pankaj Singh, said, “The video is an apt example of how social media can be used to spread misinformation. We request people to use it judiciously.”