Overview

• Meerut police registered cases against influencers Laiba Mantasha and Meenakshi Singh under IPC Section 353(1), IT Act Section 66D and BNS Section 351 after a midnight Instagram live triggered local alarm.
• Both women were released on bail following police summons as officers confirmed there have been no verified drone sightings in the region.
• Authorities have filed 26 cases and arrested more than 35 individuals across western Uttar Pradesh for circulating false drone‐theft rumours since late July.
• Investigators also detained two youths in Muzaffarnagar for tying LED lights to pigeons to mimic drones, underscoring varied hoaxes stoking community fear.
• Police have requested that Meta and YouTube remove misleading videos and have cautioned content creators against sharing unverified claims.