Two Arrested in Gujarat for Sharing Objectionable Content Related to Operation Sindoor

Arrests Made Over Social Media Posts

Authorities in Gujarat have detained two individuals in Surat and Navsari for allegedly disseminating inappropriate content concerning Operation Sindoor on social media, as reported by a local news outlet.

This incident marks an increase in such cases within the state, bringing the total to 17.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Riyaz Qureshi from Bhestan, Surat, and Mahendra Patel from Vansda, Navsari.

Qureshi, originally from Uttar Pradesh, reportedly posted an image on Facebook depicting Indian soldiers alongside a 'terrorist,' accompanied by a controversial comment, according to the Bhestan Police.

On Thursday night, the Bhestan Police lodged a complaint against Qureshi under a section of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which addresses the dissemination of false or misleading information that could jeopardize India's sovereignty and national security.

He was apprehended at his home in Bhestan on Friday afternoon.

In a separate case, Patel was arrested for allegedly sharing a deepfake video of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which included altered and objectionable audio visuals related to Operation Sindoor.

Charges against Patel include circulating misleading content that could threaten national security and incite public unrest, along with violations of the Information Technology Act.

Patel's mobile device has been sent for forensic analysis to ascertain whether he was involved in creating the video, as stated by Vansda Police Inspector AH Patel.

Following instructions from Gujarat's Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi, law enforcement is actively monitoring social media for posts deemed anti-national or negative.

This development follows a recent agreement between India and Pakistan to cease hostilities after a four-day conflict.

Tensions escalated on May 7 when the Indian military executed strikes, dubbed Operation Sindoor, targeting what it claimed were terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

These strikes were a response to a terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, that resulted in 26 fatalities on April 22.

In retaliation, the Pakistan Army engaged in shelling Indian villages along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, leading to the deaths of at least 22 Indian civilians and seven defense personnel.

Pakistan has reported that 40 of its civilians and 11 military personnel were killed during the conflict.