Chhattisgarh man complains of death threats for social media post supporting Nupur Sharma, FIR filed

A 22-year-old man in Chhattisgarh's Durg district has complained to the police, saying that he has been getting death threats after he shared a social media post in support of former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma over her remarks against Prophet Mohammad, an official said on Saturday.

An FIR under Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 507 (criminal intimidation by anonymous communication) was registered in this connection on Friday based on the complaint of Raja Jagat, a resident of a town in the district, he said.

Two mobile phone numbers from which the victim was receiving threats have been mentioned in the FIR and the identity of these phone number holders was yet to be ascertained, said Vishwas Chandrakar, City Superintendent of Police (Old Bhilai).

As per the complaint, Jagat had posted a comment on his Instagram handle in support of Sharma on June 12, following which he received a threat from two unidentified persons, who told him that he will have to face dire consequences. However, Jagat said he later identified one of the persons, who had been threatening him as Kasif a resident of Raipur in the complaint.

In the complaint, he has provided two mobile numbers with names of its holders as Kasif and Ritika Nayak seeking action into the matter, the CSP said.

No arrest has been made in the case so far and investigation is under way, he added.

As a precautionary measure, police personnel have been keeping an eye around his house and patrolling has been intensified in the area, he said, adding that Bhagat has been asked to alert police alert on sensing anything suspicious.

Last month, the BJP had suspended its national spokesperson Nupur Sharma as the row over her alleged derogatory remarks against Prophet Mohammad escalated. Cases were registered against her in several states.

On June 28, Kanhaiya Lal, a tailor, was murdered in Rajasthan's Udaipur by two men who said they are avenging an insult to Islam.

Right wing organisations have given a call for Chhattisgarh bandh in protest against the murder on Saturday.