Spreading rumours, stopping newspaper distribution will invite action: Varanasi admin

VARANASI: The district administration in Varanasi on Tuesday said that legal action would be taken against those who spread the rumour that coronavirus can be spread through newspapers and disrupt their distribution.
"If any person, society (management) or security guards of any residential society will try to stop entry of newspaper vehicles and its distribution, legal action under Section 188 (of IPC) can be initiated against them," said DM Kaushal Raj Sharma and SSP Prabhakar Chaudhary during an interaction with newspaper distributors and hawkers.Section 188 of IPC provides for one-month jail or Rs 200 fine or both for disobeying a public servant who is empowered to promulgate an order.
If the disobedience tends to cause danger to human life, health or safety or if it causes riots then the punishment can be increased to imprisonment for up to six months or Rs 1000 penalty or both. The delegation met the SSP and DM after numerous complaints about newspaper hawkers being stopped from entering housing societies for distribution.