Social media presence of accused made cops’ job easier during protest crackdown
Times of India | 27 July 2026
Kolkata: What started on social media as a ‘Gen-Z’ protest, with ‘cockroaches’ forming groups in different cities, also became a tool for cops to identify and arrest alleged disruptors.
‘Mafia Boss’ Md Afroz from Metiabruz did not think twice before posting on social media a video showing himself allegedly assaulting a television journalist.
Afroz, along with 13 others, was arrested after investigators identified them through such viral clips. Afroz, 28, is a content creator with a dual social media persona — either filming alleged public drinking and searching for syringes in garbage dumps or playing the ‘Mafia Boss’ character in his reel series “Mafia Gang”. In his reels, Afroz brandishes what he says is a toy gun, delivering dialogues such as “Talk to me before you touch my brother” while projecting the swagger of a mafia boss.
His account has around 52,000 followers. On Friday, he uploaded a video showing a television journalist being heckled, grabbed and doused with water along with his cameraperson. As the journalist tried to flee, Afroz is allegedly seen striking him. The clip was captioned “Godi media”.
Investigators analysed widely shared videos of attacks on journalists and damage to public property during the protest. By examining user-uploaded footage and television broadcasts, they profiled crowd members, identified alleged non-student infiltrators and matched faces of suspected vandals. At least four of those arrested already had charge sheets filed against them in at least 16 cases. “It helped that we had data stored on them, which made nabbing them easier,” said an officer.
Police then traced suspects through digital evidence and conducted raids across Kolkata and beyond. Families of some of those arrested also turned to social media to check whether their relatives had been involved.
Istiaq Khan, a relative of another arrested person, Shabaz Khan (34) of Bright Street, said Shabaz worked in the fish trade. “We searched social media and found he had made a derogatory statement. But it was not directed at any individual. He was not part of the vandalism,” he claimed.
Another arrested person, Sk Salman, also has a sizeable social media presence. A supporter of “Hindu-Muslim Bhai Bhai”, he had participated in several protests, including one over the Baruipur rape and death in Aliah University. Following his arrest, Salman posted: “Kolkata Police arrest korlo (Kolkata Police has arrested me).”
Jahirul Islam Molla, a relative of Salman, said they had seen videos of him carrying the Indian flag. “If you can show me any evidence of Salman being involved in crime besides holding the flag, we will stop providing him any legal help,” he said.