Counter hate campaigns on social media, Punjab CM tells police

Chandigarh, Nov 2 (IANS) Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Thursday directed the state police and intelligence agencies to make all efforts to counter increasing misuse of social media for conducting hate campaigns against various communities.

Presiding over a meeting of senior police and civil officers to review law and order in Punjab, he directed state security agencies to adopt overt and covert measures to effectively counter online hate campaigns launched by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence and a communal tirade launched by hardline elements in a particular community against another and vice versa.

"There is a clear bid to revive terrorism in Punjab, which can be traced to foreign handlers not just in Pakistan but also in Canada, Germany, UAE, Belgium, South Africa, Portugal, and Saudi Arabia," police officers present at the meeting said.

The Chief Minister also ordered stern steps to break the nexus between terrorists and gangsters as well as between gangsters and jail staff to prevent misuse of Punjab prisons for nefarious activities by various gangs.

Taking serious note of reports on certain gangsters operating from state prisons, as evident from seizure of mobile phones and SIM cards from jails, Amarinder Singh ordered for strict monitoring in jails.

"There is need to instil in these gangsters a fear of the law to ensure that the state's peace and harmony is maintained at all costs," the Chief Minister said.

He also directed the Home Department to take immediate steps to fill vacancies in the state prisons.

Expressing concern over the killing of a Hindu Shiv Sena leader in Amritsar, Amarinder Singh ordered police to expedite investigations in the case.

Director General of Police Suresh Arora said seven terror modules were busted and 43 terrorists and radical operatives arrested since March.

"Punjab Police has identified 16 foreign handlers affiliated to various militant outfits to be involved in terror operations so far, and 38 weapons, including those pushed into India by the ISI, have been seized," the DGP said.