Kerala Police chief Anil Kant on Friday directed district police heads to take strict action against those spreading fake news and false messages through social media after two political murders in the state’s Alappuzha district, PTI reported.

In a statement, Kant said that several messages inciting communal hatred are being shared on social media after the killing of Bharatiya Janata Party leader Ranjeet Sreenivas and Social Democratic Party of India State Secretary KS Shan.

“The admins of social media groups who permit discussions [inciting communal hatred] will be booked,” Kant said. “The cyber wing of the state police has been asked to intensify its surveillance in all districts to check such propaganda.”

Shan was killed by a group of persons on the night of December 18 while he was on his way back home. Less than 12 hours later, Sreenivas, who was the secretary of the BJP’s Other Backward Class unit, was hacked to death in front of his family by some assailants in his home on the morning of December 19.

Two Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh workers have been arrested in connection with Shan’s death and five persons for the murder of Sreenivas.

On Thursday, the state police said that as many as 30 cases have been registered in the last five days against people sharing provocative messages. One person was also arrested in a case registered by the West Police in Kollam district, said an official statement.