Kolkata,  A woman has been arrested here for disseminating "fake news" on coronavirus infection through WhatsApp.

Pallavi Shivani, a housewife, was taken into custody from her house in the Behala area in south Kolkata for allegedly posting on a school whatsApp group that 15 persons have been detected with coronavirus infection in New Alipore, of whom two were her neighbours.

As the post became viral, the police began an enquiry and identified Shivani.

Shivani has told interrogators that she posted the message "playfully" and had no idea the matter would go this far.