Man arrested in north Delhi for hoax alert on G20 Summit

NEW DELHI, Sep 8 : A 21-year-old man was arrested from north Delhi’s Bhalswa Dairy area today for allegedly making a hoax alert on social media on the G20 Summit, officials said.

The accused claimed on social media that an auto-rickshaw carrying guns and explosives was on its way towards the Pragati Maidan area where the G20 Summit is being held, they said.

Taking swift action, Bhalswa Dairy police team traced the accused and arrested him for spreading false information in public.

The official ‘X’ handle of DCP Outer North was on Friday tagged on a post by the handle of one Kuldeep Sah in which he said that “an auto-rickshaw driver was going towards Pragati Maidan with guns and explosive” and a photo of the auto was also uploaded with the post, said a senior police officer.

Considering the sensitivity of the post, the police checked and found the auto registered in the name of Gurmeet Singh (50), a resident of SSN Park, an official  said.

“The address was visited where auto driver Harcharan Singh (48) was found who stated that the vehicle was registered in his brother’s name and he was using it for carrying material of clothes in Chandani Chowk area. He further stated that he was having dispute with one Kuldeep Sah who reside in same street over parking of his auto,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer North) Ravi Kumar Singh said.

All facts were verified and the auto was checked thoroughly in which no suspicious thing was found, he added.

Sah was found present at his home, said police, adding he said that he posted on ‘X’ by his handle @Kuldeep Sah as the auto driver parked the vehicle outside his house.

He had warned the auto driver several times not to park his vehicle there, police said.

Legal action is being taken against Sah, who spread false rumours regarding the G20 Summit security, police said.

“Taking swift action on bomb threat hoax in #G20Summit area, #DelhiPolice’s P.S. Bhalswa Dairy team traced the accused and arrested him for spreading false information in public. Legal action is being taken,” the Delhi Police wrote on X.

The arrest takes place as the national capital is under heavy security for the two-day G20 Summit that begins here today. (PTI)