New Delhi: Eight people from across the country have been arrested for social media posts related to the death of Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, his wife and eleven other defence personnel in a helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu on December 8, the Indian Express reported. Meanwhile, the minor daughter of Brigadier L.S. Lidder, who also lost his life in the crash, was attacked online for comments she had made earlier this year about Uttar Pradesh chief minister Adityanath.Defence minister Rajnath Singh with Brigadier Lidder’s family during his final rites in New Delhi. Photo: PTI/Arun Sharma.Arrests for posts on CDSThree individuals have been arrested from Rajasthan. Police in the state’s Tonk district arrested one Jawad Khan (21) on December 8 itself, hours after General Rawat’s untimely demise, for posting a meme at his expense. The Indian Express quoted Tonk circle officer Chandra Singh as saying that Khan was arrested following an FIR filed by a police constable for promoting enmity between communities. He has been arrested under IPC Section 505 (2) (making statements with intent to cause fear or alarm among the public).Update: Jawwad Khan arrested by Rajasthan Police. pic.twitter.com/CuySDxMTA4— Anshul Saxena (@AskAnshul) December 9, 2021Two others, Manish Kumar Meena (28) and Jiwanlal Ninama (25) were arrested on Saturday, December 11 from Rajasthan’s Pratapgarh for Facebook posts that were “offensive” and “hurt public sentiments”.Similarly in Gujarat, two people were arrested for social media activity relating to General Rawat’s death. On December 9, Amreli police held one Shivabhai Ahir (44), a former deputy Sarpanch of the state’s Bherai village after Twitter users brought posts he made regarding the helicopter crash to their notice. Ahir has been charged under IPC Sections 153 (a) (promoting enmity between groups), 505 (1) (circulating rumours) and 295 (a) (deliberate, malicious acts intended to outrage feelings).इस गद्दार के खिलाफ तुरन्त कार्यवाही की जाएफेसबुक पोस्ट लिंक – https://t.co/bhgdrYyyEU pic.twitter.com/7fvmqtGRob— Arun Yadav (@beingarun28) December 8, 2021Subsequently, the Bharuch Special Operations Group (SOG) arrested one Firoz Dewan, the son of a retired police sub-inspector, for his comments on a Facebook post detailing the tragic incident. While the post was deleted, the SOG remarked that Diwan had kept screenshots of the post and his “objectionable” comments on his phone, which the SOG has seized.Diwan has been charged with IPC Sections 153 (a), 153 (b) (imputations and assertions prejudicial to national integration), 504 (intentional insult to provoke a breach of peace), 505 (1b) (attempt to incite fear in the public) and Section 84 (c) of the Information Technology (IT) Act (attempt to commit an offence). Watch: CDS Bipin Rawat: The Story of Criticism Over Kashmir and His Rise to PowerIn Madhya Pradesh’s Khandwa, Durgesh Vaskale, a tribal youth leader, was arrested for his Facebook posts on Saturday and charged with IPC Sections 153 (a and b) as well as 297 (trespassing to wound religious feelings) for allegedly rejoicing over the “martyrdom” of General Rawat.BJP MLA Ram Dangore complained that Vaskale regularly posts “offensive” remarks and should be tried under the National Security Act (NSA).However, the BJP’s district ‘IT cell’ head Inder Patel had allegedly commented, “So true” under Vaskale’s posts, prompting MP’s Congress spokesperson, Narendra Saluja to ask why no action had been taken against him.Saturday also saw a YouTuber from Tamil Nadu, Maridhas, arrested for speaking of a conspiracy on Twitter regarding the chopper crash and accusing the ruling DMK of encouraging separatist politics. While the first post has since been deleted, several others accusing the DMK remain on his profile.திக திமுக ஆதரவாளர்கள் பலரும் இராணுவ தளபதி விபத்தில் மரணத்தைக் கேலி செய்யும் விதமாகப் பதிவுகள் இடுவதும், சிரிப்பதுமாக emoji போடுவதைக் காண முடிகிறது. ஒவ்வொரு முறையும் இதைச் செய்கிறார்கள்.பிரிவினைவாத சக்திகளுக்கு திமுக சிறந்த தேர்வாக இருந்துவருகிறது என்பது மறுக்க முடியாத உண்மை.— Maridhas🇮🇳 (@MaridhasAnswers) December 9, 2021The Madurai police booked Maridhas with IPC Sections 153, 504 and 505 (2). However, when the police went to arrest him, they faced protests and pushback from BJP workers in the state, even prompting state BJP president Annamalai to call the YouTuber’s arrest a serious violation of freedom of expression.Woman suspended for ‘laugh’ reactingIn Jammu’s Rajouri district, a shopkeeper, Mohammad A. Shafi was booked for allegedly forwarding a Facebook post that “originated in Pakistan” and making “derogatory” statements against General Rawat. He is currently being held in preventive detention.Moreover, an employee of the Jammu and Kashmir Bank was suspended for reacting to a news story on the chopper crash with a ‘laughing’ emoji. Additionally, J&K police noted that they were planning to initiate action against a lecturer in Pulwama after right-wing groups alleged that he had made derogatory posts.Two individuals were also arrested for their “offensive” Facebook posts in Karnataka. Chief minister Basavaraj Bommai had earlier told the state’s police to take action against the “perverted minds” who would make jokes at the expense of the late Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).Brigadier’s daughter attacked onlineWhile authorities came down hard on posts directed against the late CDS (and in the case of Tamil Nadu, against the ruling party), there was a notable silence on the trolling which the daughter of Brigadier Lidder, who also lost his life in the helicopter accident, faced, The Telegraph reported.Right-wing participants took to social media to attack the 17-year-old based on tweets she had made in the past regarding UP chief minister Adityanath. Earlier this year, she had chastised Adityanath on Twitter for his remarks on Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in the context of images in which the Congress leader was seen sweeping the floor of the UP guest house where she was detained on her way to meet the kin of the victims at Lakhimpur Kheri.“Woke up to watching Yogi Adityanath undermine the opposition. I get it. This is politics. But it is absolutely cheap and not okay to say things like “she’s only capable of sweeping floor. I mean, wow, toothless tiger doesn’t stop roaring, truly. Yogi, clear the turmoil in UP first,” the 17-year-old had said in her tweet.'Daughter of Fallen hero'? 'Woke' 'Radical Left' 'Next Gurmeher Kaur'… Aur kitna defend karega bhai? @BefittingFacts 🤔 https://t.co/inlV7uvrNs pic.twitter.com/awujzENS3O— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) December 10, 2021One Twitter user (whose account has since been deactivated) called her a “military brat” and used her as an example of “woke culture”, making reference to her aforementioned comments on Adityanath.ThePrint has reported on how a Twitter user, Biswaroop S., went a step further and said “with utmost responsibility” that Lidder was on her way to become the next Gurmehar Kaur, daughter of the Late Captain Mandeep Singh, who was martyred during Operation Rakshak in 1999.The late Brigadier’s daughter has deactivated her Twitter account since having been targeted thus online.This is what these right wing / hate groups achieved today.Aashna Lidder has deactivated her account. More power to you @AashnaLidder.Stay strong. Return soon ! pic.twitter.com/5gWqCbBUxJ— Arvind Gunasekar (@arvindgunasekar) December 10, 2021Congress MP Karti P. Chidambaram responded to those who launched the online attack by calling them ‘faux patriots and nationalists’.Shame on the faux “patriots & nationalists” who have hounded a young educated & thinking girl off @Twitter #Aashnalidder— Karti P Chidambaram (@KartiPC) December 10, 2021Priyanka Chaturvedi, the Shiv Sena’s deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha asked them, “How low will you go?”17 year old,grieving yet holding strong,has just cremated her father,a decorated army officer,is being trolled for her views,they want to moderate her woke-ism,military train compulsorily,want her to be corrected. In the process got her to delete her account. How low will you go?— Priyanka Chaturvedi🇮🇳 (@priyankac19) December 10, 2021