Nagpur Police Take Measures to Combat Online Misinformation Following Delhi Blast

Nagpur Cyber Cell Prevents Misinformation Wave Following Delhi Blast

The Nagpur police’s cyber cell successfully intercepted over 200 objectionable online posts related to the recent Delhi bomb blast within 48 hours of the incident, preventing what officials described as a potential wave of panic and communal tension in the city.

This proactive cyber policing operation, led by DCP (cyber cell) Lohit Matani under the direction of Commissioner of Police Ravinder Singal, ensured social media platforms weren’t flooded with fake reels or distorted information that could have sparked unrest.

According to official reports reviewed by Times of India, cyber surveillance teams significantly intensified their monitoring immediately after the blast. The operation involved 207 searches on Monday and 527 on Tuesday. Approximately 39 posts related to the explosion and serious crimes were traced on the first day, with that number surging to 170 the following day.

“We red-flagged around six posts related to the Delhi blast and reported them,” said Matani. He added that several posts were also flagged on national Sahyog portals, which serve as centralized platforms for reporting problematic online content.

The cyber cell identified suspicious posts from minority political party handles as well, noting 53 such posts on November 10 and 92 on the following day. Additionally, 67 posts designed to inflame tensions between two communities were detected on Monday, with 108 more discovered Tuesday. Three of these posts were red-flagged and reported to platform authorities.

“These posts were designed to trigger communal rift, spread misinformation, and create fear and confusion among citizens,” Matani explained. “Many posts contained doctored images, false claims of additional blasts, as well as provocative narratives targeting communities. Our teams worked round-the-clock to ensure the city remained peaceful and united.”

The sophisticated operation leveraged advanced technology, specifically the Garuda Drishti software system, which scanned millions of social media posts in real-time. Simultaneously, cyber patrolling teams manually reviewed and flagged objectionable content for removal.

Commissioner Singal issued a high alert on Monday—the same day as the Delhi blast—and offered a stark warning: “Misinformation is a bigger bomb than the blast itself.” He emphasized the department’s commitment to preventing individuals from exploiting tragedy for divisive purposes, adding, “We will not allow rumor-mongers to exploit tragedy for vested interests.”

Sources within the department revealed that several social media posts originated from what appeared to be coordinated networks attempting to stoke communal tensions by falsely attributing the Delhi blast to specific religious groups. Other posts spread panic with fabricated claims of imminent attacks in Nagpur itself.

“All such content was reported and removed before gaining traction,” Matani noted. Cyber experts involved in the operation said the Garuda Drishti system’s AI-driven pattern recognition capabilities proved instrumental in identifying deepfakes and automated bot networks designed to amplify harmful content.

One senior officer characterized the initiative as “community policing in the digital age,” highlighting how traditional law enforcement practices are evolving to address threats in online spaces.

The Nagpur police’s swift response represents a growing trend among law enforcement agencies nationwide to combat digital misinformation following crisis events. By prioritizing the removal of inflammatory content, authorities aim to prevent the digital amplification of tensions that could potentially spill over into physical confrontations or create unnecessary public panic.