SRINAGAR: In a first, Jammu and Kashmir Police on Tuesday arrested the administrators of two fake newsgroups from Pampore in Pulwama district for allegedly encouraging youth to join militancy by posting ‘malicious content’ on social networking sites.

The accused — Sajad Ahmad Mir and Shahid Ahmad Bhat — both residents of Pampore, were booked under Sections 505 (statement conducting to public mischief) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Ranbir Penal Code for uploading and circulating photographs of terrorists, glorifying terrorism through their social media groups Kashmir Zone, Hamza Habibi and Quick News. They also spread rumours with a criminal intent, motivating Kashmiri youth to take up arms, claimed cops.

Cops have initiated the process to block their groups and an investigation is underway. Similar social media groups that encourage terrorist activities are also being traced. Such groups not only spread rumours, but are often found to defame people who they think are against militancy. There are also several local news agencies running their online portals without proper permission from authorities, cops said.

