Lucknow’s Cyber Cell registered an FIR after members of a WhatsApp group received an invitation to join ‘Lashkar-e-Taiba’ allegedly created by a Class 9 student in Rajasthan’s Bhilwada.
The Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) has been alerted to track the case. Uttar Pradesh Police said, the case was registered on the complaint of a person who received a message relating to ‘Lashkar-e-Taiba’ on the messaging platform. Investigation is underway and “the ATS team is in touch with Rajasthan police.”
According to reports in the Hindustan Times, “Manoj Kumar Gupta (20), who works in a private firm, received a link to join a WhatsApp group created in the name of terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).”
Gupta, also received another link inviting him to join another group in the name of MIM, the full name of which could not be ascertained, inspector general (IG), UP Anti-Terror Squad (ATS), Asim Arun said, the report added.
The student’s family has been contacted and the police are likely to question him further.
“An FIR has been lodged under section 153-A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against unidentified people for promoting enmity between different groups on the ground of religion and race, and section 66-F of the Information Technology (IT) Act for circulating objectionable content on instant messaging group,” the report further stated.
The Uttar Pradesh ATS had, in the first week of February, arrested Sheikh Ali Akbar (22), a resident of Ghazipur district, for close links with militant groups operating in Kashmir, media reports. Police claimed that “four terrorists arrested from Bandipora in Kashmir had told the police that Akbar was associated with them and had recently taken Rs 40,000 for supplying them with arms.”
It was also found that Akbar’s mobile phone had several “terror videos” and he was an active member of nine groups on social media which fan terrorism, according to police.