Citizen volunteers to help UP Police check rumours

Ghaziabad : In order to check the spread of rumours over the social media, the Uttar Pradesh Police will set up citizen volunteers force (CVF) cells at the police station level to assist law-enforcing agencies, an official said on Friday.

The Director General (DG) of Police O.P. Singh has approved the concept of citizen volunteers and directed the police officers across the state to take the CVF to 1,469 police stations across the state, said Ghaziabad SP (City) Akash Tomar.

In his letter dated July 13 to the ADGs, IGs and SSPs, the DGP said that SSPs would initiate steps to form Whatsapp groups at the police station level while SHOs/COs would be admins of these groups.

Twitter handle @uppviral check has been set up by the state police for the purpose of checking rumours. The CVF will also dial '100' in cases of emergency.

The volunteer force will include teachers, retired Army and police personnel, journalists, social organisations, councillors, block development members, village headmen, student leaders, doctors, lawyers, businessmen and religious figures.