Police have warned against clicking on social media and WhatsApp links providing ‘free access’ to The Kashmir Files. Noida Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Ranvijay Singh said clicking on WhatsApp malware could lead to phones being hacked and bank accounts linked to the numbers getting emptied.
“There has been no specific case here yet in which the movie’s name has been used but there are inputs regarding such methodology being used by conmen for hacking into people’s phone or duping them of money,” Singh told the Press Trust of India.
However, Singh admitted that there were still cases of gullible users losing their life’s savings after a few clicks on WhatsApp links.
“Most recently, three people approached the police within a period of a 24 hours from just one police station with similar complaints of cyber fraud, in which they ended up losing a combined Rs 30 lakh,” he said.
Also Read | Snapchat rolls out Holi-special AR lenses and stickers: How to use, other details
Singh advised users to not click on links shared on WhatsApp or any other social media by unknown persons. In case the link is shared by a friend or family member, users should first verify the legitimacy of the link before clicking, he said.
Clippings and links of The Kashmir Files, based on the 1990s’ Kashmiri Pandit exodus from the Kashmir Valley following the rise in militancy in the region, have been circulating on WhatsApp groups since its release. Released last week, The Kashmir Files stars Mithun Chakraborty, Anupam Kher, and Pallavi Joshi. It has been directed by Vivek Agnihotri.
Also Read | WhatsApp voice note redesign now rolling out for some users: Everything to know
Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently heaped praise on film for bringing forward the truth in its correct form and said history had to be presented in the right context. The film has also been declared tax-free in Tripura, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Haryana, and Uttarakhand and entered the Rs 50-crore club.
