Police in Assam and Meghalaya have made multiple arrests following inflammatory and communal comments on social media in connection with the recent Pahalgam terror attack, which left 26 people dead and several injured.
In Assam’s Silchar, A K Bahauddin Choudhury, a student of Assam University, was arrested on April 24 for spreading misinformation, promoting communal hatred, and allegedly justifying the brutal killings of innocent civilians, primarily Hindu tourists, in Pahalgam. The arrest followed an FIR lodged by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) unit of Silchar on April 24.
According to police sources, Choudhury made a derogatory Facebook post where he described those condemning the terror attack as “swine’s child” and attempted to fan communal tensions by claiming Muslims in India were being targeted for not chanting “Jai Shri Ram.” His remarks triggered widespread condemnation and were deemed an incitement to violence and hatred.
Silchar Police took swift action, arresting the student under several provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNSS). “Such statements not only disrupt social harmony but also undermine national security. The investigation is ongoing,” a senior police official from Silchar said.
In a separate but related development, Meghalaya Police arrested a 30-year-old man identified as Simon Shylla from East Khasi Hills district for posting pro-terrorist comments on social media. The accused, using the Facebook name “Man Shylla,” had commented on an Assam-based news channel’s coverage of the Pahalgam attack, allegedly endorsing such terrorist attacks against Hindus in the Northeast.
East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem confirmed the arrest, stating that the police acted on multiple complaints from concerned citizens. “We received information about a Facebook user making provocative and anti-national remarks in support of the Pahalgam attackers. An investigation led to the identification and arrest of Simon Shylla,” Syiem said.
Meanwhile, Assam’s Nagaon Police also arrested AIUDF MLA Aminul Islam on April 24 for making controversial and allegedly seditious statements about the Pahalgam attack. Islam had accused the central government of orchestrating the attack for political gains and questioned the authenticity of the narrative shared by BJP leaders.
All three arrests highlight the growing concerns over the misuse of social media to propagate divisive and extremist narratives, especially in the aftermath of terror-related incidents. Authorities in both states have urged citizens to refrain from sharing or endorsing inflammatory content online, warning of strict legal action.
