Excise and cyber police take down 61 Instagram accounts that promote drug use  

In a significant crackdown on online content that promotes drug use, the Excise and Cyber Police have jointly removed 61 Instagram accounts found to be spreading messages that glorified substance abuse.

The action was initiated based on the efforts of M.V. Shilparaj, a public activist and cyber cadet under the Union Home department, along with Srinivas Pai, an engineer and technician from Kanhangad.

The accounts were actively sharing videos featuring dialogues and background music from popular movies, subtly normalising or glorifying drug consumption.

Mr. Shilparaj told The Hindu the incorporation of certain film dialogues, music, and glorifications of drug use could negatively influence children and young adults, fostering a dangerous acceptance of such behaviour. Most of these accounts were found to be promoting such content and after verifying the accounts, the information was shared with the authorities.

This move gained further traction when the Excise Intelligence Bureau launched a district-wide surveillance initiative.

Recognising the potential impact of social media in shaping perceptions about drug use, authorities took swift action against these accounts to curb the spread of such content, said Mr. Shilparraj.

Srinivas Pai, a Kanhangad native, has been instrumental in assisting cyber authorities with technological insights. His proactive approach in flagging harmful content led to the submission of a detailed report by Mr. Shilparaj to law enforcement agencies.

Following this, the police cyber operations chief Ankit Ashokan confirmed that a legal notice was issued to Instagram, leading to the removal of the accounts. “We take this matter seriously and have taken immediate action to address it. Legal notices have been issued to the relevant social media platforms, directing them to remove the Instagram profiles promoting drug use. These profiles have also been made inaccessible in India. Additionally, stringent measures to prevent the spread of narcotic substance promotion has been implemented,” he said.

“We will continue to monitor the situation and enforce legal action to prevent such activities,“ he added.