Content creator Nitin Soni, who runs the Instagram page “thecurlypoet” with 800,000 followers, now faces police action after posting a video that questioned arrangements at the Kedarnath Yatra. He claims the government removed his original post.
An FIR was registered late Friday at Sonprayag police station under BNS sections 353(1)(b) and 353(3) for spreading false information. It followed a complaint from the in-charge of the police’s social media monitoring cell, who accused Soni of tarnishing the government’s image to boost viewership.
The complaint details Soni’s video, which shared clips of a Gujarat family’s 70-year-old father suffering a medical emergency. It showed the son pleading for help, alleging a nearby helicopter was reserved for VIPs and unavailable despite offers to pay ten times the fee. The video claimed common devotees received no aid while officials prioritised protocol and profits.
Authorities counter that Dilipbhai Mannu Mali fell ill at Kedarnath, was rushed to the site’s Primary Health Centre, and pronounced dead by doctors. His body was then helicoptered to Guptkashi helipad after formalities.
In a fresh video, Soni accused the government of censorship and dictatorship, claiming the IT Act enables deletion of critical content and erodes freedom of speech.
The Chief Minister’s Office, which flagged the original video via social media monitoring, stated that Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has ordered strict action against misinformation, rumours, or propaganda targeting the Char Dham Yatra. It emphasised ongoing vigilance against suspicious content to protect the pilgrimage’s integrity.