Delhi Police have registered an FIR against unidentified people for allegedly spreading rumours on social media about fish deaths in the Yamuna, after the Irrigation and Flood Control Department complained to Wazirabad police. The case concerns claims that chemicals were released into the river and caused the deaths.
The FIR was registered on Saturday under Sections 353, 352 and 240 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, according to the report. The provisions cited by police relate to public mischief, intentional insult likely to disturb public peace and giving false information connected with an offence.
The action followed the discovery of some dead fish in the Yamuna during a cruise operation on Thursday. Soon afterwards, posts and claims circulated on social media and other online platforms alleging that chemical discharge into the river was responsible for the deaths. The police have not identified the people behind the posts and the case has currently been filed against unknown persons.
According to the report, the Irrigation and Flood Control Department submitted the complaint at Wazirabad police station. A deputy commissioner said the FIR was registered on the basis of that complaint. The department’s complaint is the basis for the police investigation into the online claims.
The police will examine social-media platforms and other digital channels to identify the accounts involved, the report said. Investigators are expected to trace the circulation of the claims and determine whether the posts amounted to spreading false information or deliberate mischief. No arrests or identified suspects were reported at the time of publication.
The incident has brought attention to the difficulty of communicating verified information about the Yamuna, where visible changes in water conditions or aquatic life can quickly trigger public concern. In this case, the police action is focused on the alleged spread of unverified claims, while the supplied report does not establish the cause of the fish deaths or confirm that chemicals entered the river.
The next step is the police examination of the relevant social-media accounts and online platforms. The investigation will determine the identities of those responsible for the posts and whether the allegations attracted the sections cited in the FIR.
