An alleged social media campaign that targeted Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's Facebook post requesting aid for those impacted by the landslides in the Wayanad district has prompted the Kerala Police to launch an investigation. The Wayanad Cybercrime police have filed a case under various sections of the Disaster Management Act and the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), according to a statement released by the State Police Media Centre (SPMC) on Thursday. The issue concerns the purported social media propagation of a campaign meant to hamper relief efforts.

As per the SPMC, a handle called 'Koyikodans 2.0' on social media platform X was responsible for spreading the fraudulent campaign. It stated that the post's goal was to inspire readers to disregard the CM's request for disaster assistance. The police issued a warning, threatening severe legal repercussions for people who create, alter, and distribute false content in a way that propagates false information.

The cyber police have increased their social media surveillance as a result. To aid individuals impacted by the landslides, Vijayan urged everyone to make a donation to the Chief Minister's Disaster Relief Fund (CMDRF). In the wee hours of Tuesday, heavy downpours that caused massive landslides struck the hamlets of Mundakkai, Chooralmala, Attamala, and Noolpuzha, killing a number of people, including women and children.

As several agencies and the armed forces continue their search and rescue efforts in areas affected by landslides, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will preside over an all-party meeting. The district administration announced that political party leaders, Wayanad MLAs, and state ministers who are camped in the area will attend the meeting.

The district administration reported on Thursday that up to 173 people were killed and over 200 had been injured in the major landslides that hit Wayanad district two days ago. As rescuers find debris, the number of casualties is expected to rise even more. Among the 173 deceased are 70 women and 23 children. It stated that 219 remains, including body parts, had their post-mortems finished and that 100 bodies had been identified.

Image source: ToI