Internet services have been suspended for 48 hours – till 3 pm on Saturday – in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly division amid ongoing tension over the ‘I love Muhammad’ poster row. Security has been ramped up; personnel from the police and the state’s Provincial Armed Constabulary, as well as Rapid Action Force personnel, were deployed, backed by drones, to maintain law and order.
Home Secretary Gaurav Dayal said in the order that there is a possibility of social media platforms, such as Facebook, YouTube and WhatsApp, and messaging services being misused to spread rumours and incite communal tension. The step was taken to maintain peace and public order, he added.