Man arrested in Uttar Pradesh for sending WhatsApp message on braid cutting gang

A man has been arrested on the charge of spreading a false rumour on social media about braid cutting incidents, police said on Monday.

The development comes amid a string of complaints of braid chopping, which has led to panic and fear in some areas of UP and other neighbouring states.

The message allegedly sent by a person identified as Jahir Khan, husband of Gardaha village head, claimed that a braid cutting gang was reported to be targeting a few villages of the area, Gola kotwali inspector Deepak Shukla said, adding it was "a baseless rumour".

The officer said that the message was forwarded to him on his Whatsapp number.

"I called up the sender of the message and after ascertaining his location, the man (Khan) was arrested. He could not explain the authenticity of the message," Shukla said.

"A case under IT Act has been lodged against Jahir (Khan), and he has been sent to jail."