This is not the first time hoax messages have created panic and confusion, spurring the authority concerned to issue clarifications.

Mumbai: Social media users’ tendency to casually forward unsubstantiated messages has once again sparked a fire for the authorities to put out. The Central Railway (CR), suspecting mischief, on Tuesday filed a complaint with the Mumbai crime branch after an old message on the derailment of a Diva-Sawantwadi passenger train, which had occurred in 2014, started doing the rounds again on social media. Twenty-one persons lost their lives in the tragedy. Now, thanks to the re-ignited panic, the railways has asked the police to trace the original sender.

This is not the first time hoax messages have created panic and confusion, spurring the authority concerned to issue clarifications. In fact, this comes close on the heels of a false message announcing the running of air-conditioned train. The message, which was being circulated on WhatsApp, appeared authentic as it had the fare break up, which is yet to be announced in reality.

CR officials have taken serious cognisance of the message, divisional railway manger Ravindra Goel said. “We have filed the complaint because these messages cause a lot of chaos. People often panic and begin to call us, fearing for their loved ones who might have taken the train.”  We are taking this very seriously as these messages spread a lot of disinformation, he added.

Curiously, when this reporter called a landline number that was being circulated on social media during the actual derailment in 2014 the person on the other end said he had received at least a dozen calls asking them about the same incident. “At first I thought it was all a prank, but some callers seemed genuine so I began to tell them it was a misunderstanding,” he said.