Eight people have been arrested for posting "aggressive" social media on the death of Indian Chief of Defense Staff General Bipin Rawat in a helicopter.
According to the foreign news agency AFP and local media, a man was arrested within hours of the helicopter crash who said on Instagram that "Bipin Rawat was burnt alive before entering hell."
Police confirmed that the youth was arrested along with two others in the state of Rajasthan on charges of "hurting public sentiment".
In addition, local media reports of 5 other arrests in India since the accident.
A bank employee in Jammu district has been suspended for allegedly reacting to Bipin Rawat's death with a smiling emoji on a Facebook news post.
Southern Karnataka Chief Minister Biswaraj Bomai had ordered the arrest of two persons who had insulted the Indian military commander and were being interrogated.
Police have arrested hundreds of Indian Internet users in recent years.
Social rights groups in New Delhi have expressed concern over growing restrictions on freedom of expression in the world's largest democracy.
More than a dozen people were arrested in October on charges of celebrating India's defeat at the hands of Pakistan in a cricket match.
Many of them are still being held on charges under sedition and anti-terrorism laws.
It may be recalled that on December 8, 2021, an Indian Army helicopter crashed near Kunwar in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, killing 13 people, including Indian Chief of Defense Staff General Bipin Rawat and his wife.
The statement further said that Captain Varun Singh SC, a staff member directing at DSSC, was also injured and was undergoing treatment at Military Hospital Wellington.
Speaking to NDTV, Indian Army Chief General JJ Singh had said that the bodies had been burnt which made it difficult to identify them.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a statement on Twitter that "General Bipin Rawat was an extraordinary soldier, a true patriot and did a great job in modernizing our armed forces and security equipment."
The Pakistan Armed Forces also expressed its condolences over the death of Indian Chief of Defense General Bipin Rawat in the accident.
According to a statement issued by the Pakistan Army Public Relations (ISPR), Chief Joint Chiefs of Staff General Nadeem Raza and Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa said that the Indian Chief of Defense Staff was killed in a helicopter crash in India. Condolences on the death of General Bipin Rawat, loss of his wife and other precious lives.
