Sending or forwarding of SMSes with communal meaning or publicizing rumors on mobile phones may land a person in jail. The city police has warned rumor hawkers that it would charge them under section 153-A of IPC and Information Technology Act.
Punishment for any such mischief is three years of imprisonment. According to Section 153, developing enmity between various groups on basis of religion, race, place of birth, residence and language is a crime.
Mr A.K. Khan, the commissioner of police, said that rumors will complicate the situation greatly, in an emotionally charged atmosphere. Mr Khan also said that the city police were suffering from tiredness and were stressed out because of constant law and order complications in the city from the last eight months.
He said that even though entire police force is tired, they are performing their duties as an organization and also pumping in extra forces regularly is necessary for replacement.