Nikita murder: Police scan WhatsApp messages of protesters

Bijendra Ahlawat

Tribune News Service

Faridabad, November 3

The police have started scanning WhatsApp messages exchanged among 32 accused arrested in connection with the violence on Sunday during a mahapanchayat at Ballabgarh to seek justice for 21-year-old Nikita Tomar, who was shot dead by a stalker and his friend last week.

They suspect that hate and inflammatory messages exchanged on WhatsApp was one of the reasons for the violence.

The persons found to have been involved in spreading hate messages were likely to be booked after an investigation, the police have said.

Adarshdeep Singh, Additional Commissioner of Police (Headquarters), said that an initial scanning of the WhatsApp chat led to the conclusion that many of the messages regarding Nikita’s murder were inflammatory in nature. “The source of the messages is being investigated. Action might be taken against the WhatsApp group administrators who had sent the messages,” he said.

He further said a team from the cyber cell was preparing a list of group administrators. “Messages aimed at creating disturbance on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are under lens,” the ACP said, adding the arrest of the accused could not be ruled out.

The police have arrested 32 persons and booked more than 200 others for the mob violence and the attempt to block the New Delhi-Agra NH-44 soon after the Sunday mahapanchayat. In all, 10 cops were injured and some shops were damaged in the stone-pelting by the mob.