Are Reports Of Death Threats To Uttarakhand Cop Who Saved Muslim Boy Fake News?

Several viral social media posts claimed that Gagandeep Singh and his family are "being hounded by the local BJP leaders"

By: Siddhant Pandey |
May 31, 2018 3:14 pm

Uttarakhand Sub-Inspector Gagandeep Singh has been a star on social media after he shielded a Muslim boy from being attacked by a mob at a temple. The story of Singh’s spunk took no time to go viral. “This would not have been a problem, had it not been about an interfaith couple,” he had told InUth.

However, recently, a new update has now been doing the rounds on the internet, claiming that the officer has been receiving death threats for saving a Muslim boy, who was thrashed by a mob after being spotted with a Hindu girl at the Garjiya temple near Ramnagar.

The news of Singh receiving death threats first emerged following a BBC report. According to the report, police officials working with Singh claimed that the cop had been receiving threats to his life since the incident.

The incident had initially sparked a controversy after the involvement of radical Hindu fringe groups surfaced was reported. The violent mob that attacked the interfaith couple at the temple allegedly comprised of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal members. Thereupon, the incident turned into a communal debate.

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Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Ramnagar, Rajkumar Thukral, issued a statement, where he said, “Why were they roaming (in the temple premises) with a Hindu girl? They tried to ignite the emotions of the Hindu community.” He added, “We will fight the ongoing plans of destroying Hindu culture, of forced religious conversions, and of strengthening the roots of love jihad.”

Later, reports of threats to Singh also went viral, claiming that Singh and his family are “being hounded by the local BJP leaders.”

ALSO READ: Uttarakhand BJP MLA Warns ‘Destroyers Of Hindu Culture’ After Mob Beats Up Muslim Boy At Temple

Similar posts were widely shared on various social media platforms, fanning the reports of death threats to Singh. But is there any truth to these claims?

When asked about the threats to Singh, Station House Officer (SHO) of the Ramnagar Police Station, Vikram Rathod, said, “Who is saying this? These reports are completely false. There have been no threats.” Rathod claimed that Singh has taken a leave of absence until June 2.

As per a report in The Quint, Singh said, “There’s no such thing. In fact, I got to know about this (that I have been receiving death threats) from other people. I have been enjoying my holiday. There is no question of me receiving death threats.”

InUth has been trying to contact Singh, however, there has been no response.