The ripples of religious tensions in Rajasthan have reached neighbouring Uttar Pradesh where the state police has sounded an alert asking all its units, especially in sensitive districts, to keep a close watch on the law and order situation to avoid any communal incident following the gruesome killing of a tailor in Udaipur being labelled as a “terror” act by the Centre.
The Union home ministry is keeping a close watch on the situation in the country even as it asked the National Investigation Agency to probe the case.
The NIA is probing the role of a lesser known Pakistani outfit Daawat e Islami after evidence emerged that the two arrested accused, Mohammed Riyaz and Gouse Mohammed, were in touch with several Pakistani numbers on WhatsApp, Skype, Snapchat, Facebook messenger and were using the social media platforms while hatching the conspiracy.
At the moment, social media cells of state police forces, particularly UP police, are abuzz with several hundreds of posts where threats have been made to disturb communal harmony or attempts are being made by inimical groups and elements to fish in troubled waters.
UP DGP Devendra Singh Chauhan said strict action will be taken against mischief mongers and no person misusing social media to spread tension or disturbance will be spared.
“A high alert has been sounded and all officers on the field have been asked to keep a vigil to avert any violence or attempts to disturb law and order,” Prashant Kumar , ADG (law and order ) in UP police told THE WEEK.
Kumar said intense social media monitoring is being carried out to keep a watch on inflammatory posts, hate posts and incitement by any persons or groups.
“We are in touch with central and state agencies for sharing intelligence inputs and threats and relevant details are being exchanged,” he said.
The UP police is also talking to different religious groups to help maintain social harmony. No protests or processions, religious or political in nature, should be carried out without intimating the local police station or getting permission, Kumar said.
Uttar Pradesh has been high on the radar of terror groups who used it as a fertile ground to recruit disgruntled youth in the past. Which is why it is centre stage for law enforcement agencies who worry that the Udaipur killing has the potential of whipping up sentiments in the communally sensitive state. The threat becomes more potent as it comes from nameless and faceless identities on social media than visible actions of terror modules.