Thiruvananthapuram:

The Kerala police have launched an investigation into an alleged social media campaign against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s Facebook post requesting help for the people affected by the landslides in Wayanad district.

The State Police Media Centre (SPMC) on Thursday said that the Wayanad Cybercrime police has registered a case under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Disaster Management Act and launched a probe into the alleged spreading of a campaign with the intention of obstructing relief efforts.

The SPMC, in its statement, further said that the fake campaign was circulated on social media platform X from a handle called ‘Koyikodans 2.0’.

The post was aimed at motivating people to reject the Chief Minister’s appeal for disaster relief, it said.

The police warned of strict legal action under the law against those who edit, produce and disseminate fake posts in such a way so as to spread misconceptions.

For this, the cyber police have intensified monitoring of social media.

Vijayan had called upon everyone to contribute to the Chief Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund (CMDRF) in order to help those affected by the landslides.

Massive landslides triggered by torrential rains hit Mundakkai, Chooralmala, Attamala, and Noolpuzha hamlets in the early hours of Tuesday, killing several people, including women and children. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Kannur:

A police driver has been booked for attempt to murder after he dashed into a petrol pump employee and drove with the man on the bonnet on being asked to pay for the fuel he filled, police said on Monday.

The accused has been arrested and suspended from service, they said.

Kannur city police commissioner Ajith Kumar said various sections including attempt to murder were imposed against the accused and he was suspended from the service.

The arrest of the accused was recorded on Monday, police added.

The employee, Anil, was attacked when the police driver allegedly tried to leave without paying the amount for the fuel on Sunday evening, police said.

CCTV visuals of the man, clinging to the bonnet of the speeding car as it travelled along a busy highway for nearly one kilometer, went viral on social media platforms soon.

In the video, Anil can be seen having an argument with the accused, identified as K Santhosh Kumar.

As the argument escalated, the driver suddenly accelerated the car, where the petrol pump employee was thrown onto the bonnet of the vehicle. The car with the staff on the bonnet travelled and stopped after covering nearly a kilometer along the busy road.

Anil, who suffered injuries to his hands, later lodged a complaint with the Town Police. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Thiruvananthapuram:

The Kerala Cyber Police registered a case on Thursday after an announcement was made on social media that the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) question paper and answer key were for sale.

After completing MBBS studies abroad, those who wish to practice in India are required to pass the FMGE conducted by the National Board of Examinations.

A state police spokesperson said that the City Cyber Crime Police in Thiruvananthapuram have registered a case against groups that advertised the sale of question papers for the July 6 exam on Telegram groups.

The case was registered under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act 2024, making it the first case of its kind in the state to be registered under this law, the spokesperson said in a statement.

As part of efforts to detect such frauds, the Cyber Division of the Police has started 24×7 cyber patrolling on social media platforms, including various Telegram channels, it said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)