Pakistan-Based Social Media Handles Spread Rumours During Protests: Delhi Police

Behind the screen: How foreign actors are hijacking the student protests in India

As thousands of young protesters and movements like the Cockroach Janta Party continue to fill the streets of the capital, law enforcement is dealing with a dangerous second front: a coordinated digital onslaught from across the border.

Delhi Police cyber-cells have flagged and moved to block over 480 Pakistan-based social media accounts which are actively exploiting the unrest, pumping out a steady stream of malicious rumours, fake posts and heavily edited videos designed to stoke tensions.

Dusting off the play book: vestiges of operation sindoor

These are not random trolls, security officials say, but from the same network of bot farms and proxy accounts that sought to sow panic during Operation Sindoor. They used deepfakes and fake military reports to demoralise the people. Now they have changed tactics, taking advantage of the heady atmosphere of student protests, police standoffs and government responsibility to whip up chaos on home ground.

The Anatomy of a Digital Stunt

Here the goal is not to support the protesters or stand up for a cause – it is pure calculative destabilisation:

• Stirring the Pot: Adding doctored video clips and inflammatory, out-of-context footage to the timeline to turn peaceful sit-ins into violent flashpoints.

• Targeting the Young: Developing content specifically tailored to manipulate students, turning genuine passion into unmanageable outrage.

• Blurring the Lines: Using archival footage of global conflict to make it appear as if the capital is on the brink of total collapse.

A Word of Warning

Law enforcement is working around the clock with the tech giants to get these fake accounts down but the flood of digital content is moving fast. Law enforcement is warning students, parents and the public to be careful. Before you retweet, share a video or get angry about a shocking clip, take a breath and check the source.

Peaceful dissent is a constitutional right, but to let malicious, invisible actors highjack your emotions and burn the house down is a dangerous game. Keep your eyes peeled, monitor your feeds and don’t let outside trolls write our story.