The Andhra Pradesh government, led by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, has decided to introduce a special law to take strict action against social media offenders who create disturbances through obscene posts and morphed videos.
A cabinet subcommittee will be formed for this purpose, comprising ministers Nara Lokesh, Vangalapudi Anitha, Nadendla Manohar, and Satyakumar.
Naidu announced this decision during a review of law and order at a collectors' conference on Thursday.
"Police incompetence emboldens criminals. Currently, individuals are disguising their actions under political affiliations to destabilize peace and security. They are leveraging social media to spread obscene posts and incite unrest. We must act strictly against such elements," remarked Chandrababu Naidu.
State Civil Supplies Minister Nadendla Manohar noted that the proposal for a special law to address such issues had previously been discussed in the cabinet. Following these discussions, the Chief Minister decided to establish the cabinet subcommittee.
In addition to tackling social media misconduct, the Naidu government has decided to take firm action against cybercrimes and loan app frauds.
The Chief Minister announced plans to set up a committee within a week to analyze and address emerging technology-enabled crimes. This committee will also recommend advanced investigative methods.
The committee will include IPS officers with technical expertise, with Eluru SP Komma Pratap Shiva Kishore as one of its members. Its recommendations will be periodically reviewed by the cabinet subcommittee.
Addressing the issue of loan app frauds, State IT Minister Nara Lokesh highlighted numerous cases where loan app operators harassed borrowers by accessing their phones, charging exorbitant interest rates, and using threats.
He cited a tragic incident involving a newly married man who borrowed â¹2,000 through a loan app. The operators morphed his wife's photo and shared it with relatives, leading the man to take his own life out of humiliation.
In response, the Chief Minister emphasized the importance of addressing such crimes and directed the formation of a specialized committee to focus on this issue.