Delhi Police denies asking students to vacate PGs in Mukherjee Nagar, terms viral video, notices as 'fake'

New Delhi: The Delhi Police has registered a case after “fake messages” and a video claiming that it is shutting down coaching centres in the national capital’s Mukherjee Nagar area went viral on social media, officials said on Wednesday.

The video purportedly showing a Delhi Police official instructing students to not stay in Mukherjee Nagar between 24 December and 2 January due to critical law and order situation in the city had gone viral on social media platforms days ago, they said.

A “fake” notice from station house officer, Mukherjee Nagar, claiming that coaching centres and paying guest (PG) accommodations in the area were being shut down was also circulated in students’ social media groups, according to police.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northwest) Vijayanta Arya said a case has been registered against unidentified persons in the matter. “We have registered a case in connection with the fake messages being circulated on social media and are also writing to social media platforms to remove the video as it has been edited so as to place it out of context,” she said.

In the viral video, the officer is purportedly telling people that PGs, libraries, coaching centres and restaurants in Mukherjee Nagar will be shut from 24 December evening to 2 January. He advises students to book tickets and leave for their homes, considering it their winter break. The officer is also heard telling the crowd that the law and order situation is critical in Delhi, section 144 of the Criminal Penal Code has been imposed and warns of severe action against those who would create any kind of nuisance.

Arya, however, said that no such direction has been issued by police and it is a doctored video. Fake messages are being circulated on social media on closure of PGs and hostels in Mukherjee Nagar area to create panic, she said.