Rumours and fake news after the Pulwama attack have compelled district police of Gautam Budh Nagar district to issue an appeal to the public to not share unverified information on social media platforms. The development comes after an offensive comment related to the Pulwama terror attack emerged on social media on Saturday in the name of a Jammu and Kashmir student in Greater Noida. Later the police clarified that it was done using a fake profile.

“The controversial comment was made in the name of the student pursuing MBA from a private college in Gautam Buddh Nagar. During the investigation it was found that the comment was made using a fake profile of the student by some mischievous elements.” a police spokesperson told PTI.

The official said that a complaint has been made with police in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir on behalf of the student in connection with the matter.

In another incident, police urged people to not believe rumours or share unverified information after a purported video surfaced on WhatsApp which claimed the arrest of a terrorist present in the district.

The video circulated on WhatsApp claiming that security was put on “high alert” and Section 144 of the CrPC was imposed in the district after a terrorist was “caught fixing an explosive” at a shopping mall.

“The video is baseless and being circulated by some anti-social elements. The general public is requested not to believe such rumours and not forward or share such content on social media without verifying,” the police said.

Forty CRPF personnel were killed and five injured in one of the deadliest terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir when a Jaish suicide bomber rammed a vehicle carrying over 150 kg of explosives into their bus in Pulwama district on Thursday.