‘Fish deaths’ in Yamuna: Delhi Police registers FIR alleging ‘mischief, misinformation’; man held

The Delhi Police has arrested a man for allegedly spreading misinformation on social media in connection with the death of a large number of fish in the Yamuna near northeast Delhi’s Sonia Vihar, officials said on Saturday.

The accused, identified as Surender, was arrested from north Delhi’s Gopalpur in connection with an FIR registered at Wazirabad police station on a complaint by the Delhi government’s irrigation and flood control department, they said.

Surender had allegedly uploaded a video on social media on November 12 from the Wazirabad Water Treatment Plant, which subsequently circulated on social media amid concerns over the reported deaths of fish in the Yamuna.

However, following his arrest, the accused was released on bail from the police station, officials said.

The FIR was registered under sections 353 (public mischief), 352 (insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) and 240 (giving false information) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), they said.

The development comes two days after videos showing a large number of dead fish floating in the Yamuna near Sonia Vihar surfaced on social media, triggering concerns over water pollution and allegations of possible toxic discharges into the river.

The exact cause of the fish deaths remains unconfirmed.

The incident triggered a political slugfest, with Delhi Water Minister Parvesh Verma accusing the AAP of dumping dead fish into the river to defame the BJP government and its efforts to clean the Yamuna.

The AAP rejected the allegations, questioning the government’s claims about cleaning the Yamuna, and demanding an investigation into possible contamination of river water.

The Delhi Jal Board has also submitted a complaint to the police seeking an FIR against unidentified individuals allegedly spreading misinformation on social media regarding chemical discharges into the river.

Locals have alleged that effluent discharges from a tannery located near the Hathnikund Barrage into the Yamuna are responsible for the fish deaths.

The incident comes less than a month after hundreds of dead fish were found along the Yamuna riverbank in north Delhi’s Burari.

Experts had earlier said sudden mass deaths of fish could indicate a sharp increase in contaminants or the discharge of toxic substances into the water. They had called for laboratory testing to establish the cause of the fish deaths.

The development also comes ahead of Chhath Puja, when a large number of devotees are expected to visit the Yamuna ghats to offer prayers.