Bhawanipatna: Kalahandi police on Sunday arrested a man for allegedly spreading misinformation on social media about the. novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
According to police sources, Bundu Mahanand had sent several messages to different WhatsApp groups, claiming that a man, who recently returned from Bengaluru, had self-quarantined himself in his house at Khaliakani village under Golamunda block of the district.
The BDO along with IIC were on their way to meet him at his residence, he added.
To stop spread of such rumours, Kalahandi SP Battula Gangadhar reacted swiftly and ordered for Mahanand’s arrest, the sources added.
Two days ago, a 32-year-old man was arrested on charges of spreading fake news on Facebook about spread of COVID-19 in Odisha’s Rayagada.
On Friday, the Odisha Cabinet had approved the Odisha Covid-19 Regulations 2020 and made spreading of any unauthenticated information and/or rumors regarding COVID-19 a punishable offence.