Bareilly police ramp up preparations for Holi and Eid; intensify social media monitoring

Bareilly , In light of upcoming festivals, including Holi, Friday prayers, and Eid, the Bareilly police have intensified preparations to maintain law and order, with a particular focus on monitoring social media platforms, officials said Tuesday.

Inspector General of Police, Bareilly range, Rakesh Singh, said he has also directed that all personnel assigned to the media cell be skilled and actively engaged in social media operations.

A “round-the-clock surveillance system” has been put in place, with dedicated teams monitoring news channels, social networking sites, and WhatsApp groups.

“Each district should evaluate the presence and activity of members in their Digital Volunteer Groups, ensuring effective coordination and information exchange,” said Singh, overseeing the preparations.

He added that if any group has insufficient members, local police stations should recruit additional volunteers.

Police have been instructed to “maintain a register with detailed records of all digital volunteers” and assign at least two skilled personnel at each police station to handle media-related tasks. These personnel must follow official social media handles to stay updated on law enforcement activities.

To curb misinformation, senior officers will “immediately debunk rumors, misleading posts, or videos through video bytes, media briefings, and pamphlets,” officials said. The cyber cell has been directed to verify viral posts and take them down if found misleading.

Additionally, an “integrated WhatsApp group” will be created to facilitate the sharing of critical social media updates among districts, helping police address potential disruptions to public order.

Officials have also emphasized “increasing public awareness of commendable police work, especially by women officers at the Women Help Desks,” by promoting such efforts on social media.

All police personnel have been instructed to comply with the Uttar Pradesh Police’s media policy, and officers at each police station will be briefed accordingly.

“Strict and continuous social media surveillance is crucial to ensuring peaceful festivities,” a senior official added.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.