Vinay Dubey, The Migrant Activist Held For Instigating People To Gather At Bandra Station

Activist Vinay Dubey was charged for spreading rumours on social media handles urging migrant workers to gather at the railway station to protest against the lockdown.

Mumbai| An activist named Vinay Dubey, who is accused of spreading rumours through his social media posts, and a news channel reporter who reported the railway ministry meeting on special trains for migrants, have been charged for the gathering of hundreds of migrant worker outside Bandra station demanding a transport facility to return back home. 1000 people have also been charged for rioting.

Activist Vinay Dubey who was charged for spreading rumours on social media handles urging migrant workers to gather at the railway station to protest against the lockdown. For the social media posts like “Chalo Ghar Ki Ore (let’s head home)”, Dubey has been accused of instigating the migrant workers to gather in huge numbers.

Dubey was caught late on the night of Tuesday and was formally arrested on Wednesday morning. Dubey was charged with IPC sections 117, 153 A, 188, 269, 270, 505 (2) and Section 3 of The Epidemic Diseases Act. He is scheduled to be produced before a local court today.

A huge crowd of migrant workers gathered at Bandra station on Tuesday. The crowd demanded state government make arrangements for their transport to go back to their home states.

Dubey had also threatened a protest in Kurla, Mumbai on 18th April. Police said they believed his calls made on social media contributed to the large gathering at Bandra station.

After the crowd gathered at the Bandra Station, Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh had warned that strong action will be taken against those who instigated the gathering by spreading rumours.

“The orders have been given against those who spread the rumour that trains will start. Strict action will be taken against those who spread rumours,” Deshmukh had tweeted.