Uttarakhand Police launched an investigation after the Karni Sena lodged a complaint against social media influencer Neetu Bisht, alleging that a video featuring a depiction of Goddess Kali hurt the religious sentiments of devotees.
Haldwani SHO Vijay Mehta said on Wednesday, “The matter is being investigated. We will take further action based on the investigation.”
Members of the Karni Sena staged a protest at the Haldwani police station on Tuesday and submitted a written complaint seeking the registration of a first information report (FIR) and strict legal action against the influencer.
The complainants alleged that the depiction of Goddess Kali in the video was disrespectful to the deity’s sacred form and hurt the sentiments of devotees.
Karni Sena district president Yogita Banaula said the organisation had urged the police to investigate the matter and take action under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology (IT) Act.
“Content portraying religious deities in an allegedly insulting manner should be examined by the authorities and dealt with in accordance with the law,” she said.
Banaula warned that the organisation would launch a protest if the police failed to act on the complaint. She said the authorities should take the matter seriously and initiate appropriate legal proceedings.
The Karni Sena also raised concerns over the impact of such content on social media, demanding that the police examine the video, establish the facts and initiate legal action.