Covid-19 rumours spreading thick & fast in Amritsar

PK Jaiswar
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, May 29

With the coronavirus cases increasing in the holy city, rumours are also spreading thick and fast despite the Punjab Police warning.

A noted ENT surgeon Dr Karunesh Gupta, who runs a hospital in Pink Plaza market near Hall Gate, is the latest victim of such rumours. He has lodged a complaint with the police in this connection.

This has made people, especially those in the health services and running eatery joints, coming up on social platforms to clear the air about them being corona positive.

Dr Gupta said his team, family and he himself was fit and fine and that wasn’t sure from where the rumours of them being corona positive were being spread.

Similar rumours were being circulated on social media platforms regarding Dr Susheel Mahindru, following which he had to release a counter message saying that he has also lodged a complaint with the police in this connection. “I got a number of calls after the rumours were out on social media. I had no option but to counter it and lodge a complaint with the police,” he said.

A few days ago, rumours about famous Ahuja Lassi shop, near Hindu College, were spread which were later found to be fake. They clarified this on social media. Similarly, rumours about the owner of a famous eatery joint in Green Avenue were also spread on social media.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Jagmohan Singh said the city police have already warned people against spreading rumours. “Spreading rumours and that too during such challenging times due to the pandemic is a criminal offence. Our IT teams are keeping an eye on different social platforms and those behind these rumours would be taken to task. Such rumours are posing a big challenge to the police.”

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