The Delhi Police has said "motivated elements" tried to defame the force by spreading misinformation on social media on the COVID-19 crisis.
The statement came after posts on social media alleged policemen in the national capital have been stopping people from organising help for Covid patients on WhatsApp.
"At a time when Delhi Police is going beyond its call of duty to help people during this pandemic, it is unfortunate that such allegations are being levelled by motivated elements on social media and the mainstream media seems to be giving credence to such propaganda by carrying news reports on them," Delhi Police said in the statement.
Taking strong exception to the "unverified and unsubstantiated" allegations, the national capital's police urged people and the media not to amplify such misinformation and warned of legal action.
The police underlined the tasks undertaken by its personnel during the Covid crisis by helping people with hospital admissions and oxygen cylinders.
"Not just that, our men are even performing last rites of people after their families refuse to accept the bodies," the statement read. "We are going hand with Good Samaritans and member of the public and supporting them by all means."
Delhi recorded 22,933 fresh COVID-19 cases and 350 related deaths in the last 24 hours. The city now has 94,592 active cases. The total coronavirus cases count in the city has gone up to 10,27,715 and the death count has soared to 14,248.
The daily positivity rate has, however, dropped 30.21 per cent. On Sunday it was 32.27 per cent. The case fatality rate currently stands at 1.39 per cent.
The ongoing lockdown in Delhi has been extended by another week, with the national capital still showing a high positivity rate despite a marginal drop in the daily coronavirus figures.
India's coronavirus cases and deaths hit a new record with 3.49 lakh fresh infections, taking the caseload to 1.69 crore; 2,767 people died in the last 24 hours. Hospitals in the country are overwhelmed; SOS messages have flooded social media.
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