UP govt takes action against 14 'X' accounts for spreading misinformation on Maha Kumbh

The action follows increased scrutiny of social media platforms under the directive of Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police Prashant Kumar, the government statement said.

In an effort to combat misinformation the Uttar Pradesh government has identified and taken action against 14 accounts on social media platform X for allegedly posting misleading content related to Maha Kumbh, an official statement said on Sunday.

The action follows increased scrutiny of social media platforms under the directive of Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police Prashant Kumar, the government statement said.”The state government has vowed to regularly monitor social media to prevent the spread of misleading content, particularly concerning large-scale events like Maha Kumb,” the statement read.

The latest incident involves the circulation of an old video from Dhanbad in Jharkhand, which was falsely linked to the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj.The purported video depicted a lathi-charge conducted by the Jharkhand police on January 1, 2025. It was falsely shared as an incident involving the Uttar Pradesh police allegedly ”brutally beating devotees searching for missing relatives at Maha Kumbh.”

"Upon investigation, it was confirmed that the video was from Dhanbad, not Prayagraj. The Kumbh Mela Police also refuted the claims, clarifying the video’s origin through their official social media accounts,” the statement added.

"This act of spreading false information was deemed as a deliberate attempt to tarnish the image of the state government and its police force, and to sow unrest among the public,” it said.”As a result, authorities have filed an FIR at Kotwali Kumbh Mela against the 14 ’X” accounts and are moving forward with legal proceedings,” the statement added.The administration has issued a stern warning that those responsible for spreading false or misleading information regarding Maha Kumbh 2025 will face strict legal action.