Inform control room about rumour mongers, J&K Police tells public after Jammu residents resort to panic buying on Sunday

Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Police has appealed to the people to inform the police control room (PCR) regarding any person spreading rumours or malicious content, officials said on Tuesday.

The police requested the citizens to share information regarding such people by contacting PCR Jammu telephone number 0191-2542001, 2542000, 2560401, 2544581 and helpline numbers 2560244 and 100.

The citizens may otherwise contact the nearby police station or police post where the personnel have been instructed to act promptly without any delay against such elements, they said.

A case has been registered in the Akhnoor Police station and the rumour monger has been arrested, they said.

Similarly, a case has been registered at Rajouri against two persons spreading the malicious message on Facebook.

A 40-year-old man was arrested on Monday for allegedly spreading rumours that created panic among people here, a senior police officer had said.

He was arrested on the basis of an investigation into the widespread rumours in the city on Sunday which led to “panic buying and heavy rush outside fuel stations”, Senior Superintendent of Police of Jammu Tejinder Singh told reporters here.

Low-speed Internet services in Jammu region, which were made operational on Saturday, were snapped again on Sunday after it was found that rumours were being circulated.

Landline and mobile phone services and Internet were suspended in the early hours of 5 August before the Centre announced its move to abrogate provisions of Article 370 that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir and divide the state into two Union Territories.