The Mumbai police has decided that they will do everything possible to ensure that no one watches Tanmay Bhat's Snapchat video, which is so incendiary that it could spark off World War III.
Even if that means bringing things back from the dead.
The Mumbai police, which boasts of nabbing criminals using technology and is apparently evaluating a digital pen that can deliver FIRs, have now asked Google to remove the controversial video from Orkut.
In the video that half the nation has probably seen now, thanks to the Maharashtra politicians and their outrage over it (ably aided by sundry Mumbai based film personalities), the comedian is seen mocking two beloved Indian figures-- Sachin Tendulkar and Lata Mangeshkar.
While the misplaced outraged is another debate, it is important that the Mumbai police keep up a little with technology.
Orkut Is Dead
In a statement to Times Of India, Mumbai police spokesperson Sangramsingh Nishandar said that they have asked Google to remove the video from Orkut.
Yes, that's probably the first you have heard of Orkut in maybe two years, given that it is a dinosaur in the age of Facebook, WhatsApp and Snapchat. In 2014, Google killed Orkut, their social networking site that used to be popular a decade ago. Obituaries were written, RIP notes were shared, but looks like the Mumbai police didn't get to see any of that.
In fact, back in 2007, Mumbai Police and Orkut had entered into an agreement to track down offenders who posted anti-Shivaji, anti-Ambedkar or "hate India" campaigns on the social media site.
It's been nine years since then and a lot of water has flowed under the Mithi river, but clearly Mumbai police is stuck in a time warp.
You Can't Ask YouTube To Delete Videos From Orkut
Clearly unaware of Orkut's digital demise, they have written to YouTube, asking them to block the controversial video on the social networking site that exists no more.
"Firstly, we have written to Google and YouTube administrators to block the controversial video on their social Orkut and have sought a legal opinion on whether any case can be made out against Tanmay," a Mumbai police spokesperson said.
Come again, now? Even if we assume for a minute that Orkut still exists, how can YouTube ban it? That sounds like telling the good people at Tata Tea or Tata Steel to ban Tata Nano.
Orkut and YouTube are two distinct products of Google (was a product, in the case of Orkut). So this would be asking a subsidiary of a company to interfere in the workings of another subsidiary of that parent company.
According to reports, Mumbai police have begun to equip themselves to be able to handle cyber crimes in a more savvy and knowledgeable way. The police headquarters has a cyber cell and a cyber crime station, situated at the Bandra Kurla Complex. As per the plan, the police will set up more cyber cells.
"In the days ahead, cyber crimes will go up, and we need to be ready for it. Keeping that in mind, we felt there was the need for three more cyber cells in the city," KMM Prasanna, ACP (Crime) told DNA.
Mumbai Police's cyber-crime infrastructure and their efforts to augment it is laudable, but from what we can tell after láffaire Tanmay Bhat and Snapchat, they need to keep track of how online communication trends and the social media are evolving over time.
Also See On HuffPost: