NEW DELHI: The Army had to step in on Monday to refute rumours being circulated on social media that the over 13-lakh strong force would be deployed to assist the civil administration when emergency would be declared in the country next month.

“Fake and malicious messages are circulating on social media about likely declaration of emergency in mid-April and employment of Indian Army , veterans, NCC (National Cadet Corps) and NSS (National Service Scheme) to assist the civil administration. It is clarified that this is absolutely fake,” the Army said in a tweet through its official Twitter handle @adgpi.

On being contacted by TOI, a senior Army officer said, “There were a lot of fake messages circulating in WhatsApp groups and other social media that were quoting senior officers as saying the government would declare an emergency after the 21-day lockdown announced by the PM on March 24 ended. We wanted to nip such fake reports in the bud.”

Last Friday, the defence ministry had issued a statement to deny that the chief secretary of Maharashtra , among the states worst-hit by Covid-19, had requisitioned the Army for deployment during a meeting with the Pune-based Southern Command

