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Srinagar, (CNI): In a shocking case of online fraud, Srinagar Police on Saturday arrested two individuals for running a fake medical donation campaign on Facebook by misusing a woman’s photograph and story without her or her family’s consent.

According to a police statement, the fraud came to light after Muneer Ahmad Misger, a resident of Mughal Masjid, Nowhatta, filed a complaint stating that a so-called journalist had uploaded a fabricated story about his sister, seeking public donations for a non-existent surgery.

Police said the accused, posing as journalists but more accurately described as “Facebook hawkers”, used social media to exploit the public’s emotions and collect money under false pretenses. “The act was clearly aimed at cheating and exploiting the public trust,” the complainant wrote.

Following the complaint, an FIR (No. 21/2025) was registered at Police Station Nowhatta under Sections 318(2) and 319(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and a thorough investigation was launched.

The first accused, Mohammad Lateef Lone from Tujan, Pulwama, was identified as the administrator of the Facebook page that posted the fake appeal. The second accused, Amir Yousuf Khan, a native of Bandipora currently living in Gulab Bagh, Zakoora, had provided the bank account details used to receive fraudulent donations. Both were arrested.

Police have warned that more arrests may follow as the investigation progresses. “These individuals are not journalists. They are Facebook hawkers who exploit tragedy for personal gain. This kind of activity has brought shame to the journalism profession,” said a police official.

Authorities have also expressed concern over the growing number of unregulated individuals on social media, often armed with nothing more than a mobile phone and a self-made logo, who claim to be journalists but have no professional affiliation or ethical boundaries.

“Anyone with a phone and Facebook page these days calls himself a journalist,” a senior police officer commented. “This trend not only misleads the public but seriously damages the credibility of real journalism.”

Police have urged citizens to refrain from sharing the misleading post and to report any suspicious fundraising activity immediately. [CNI]