Social boycott call sparks outrage in Sirsa, police launch probe
Tensions flared in Sirsa following inflammatory remarks made by a local leader during a candlelight tribute event on Thursday, held in memory of the victims of the recent Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu & Kashmir. The remarks, streamed live on social media, targeted a particular community, urging a complete social and economic boycott.
The speaker called on the public “not to give them rooms for rent, not to offer them jobs, and not to take services from them such as mehndi application or cloth dyeing.” He claimed that “lighting candles or holding peaceful marches was not enough” and that a boycott would be the real tribute to the victims.
The video quickly went viral, triggering strong public backlash. Residents across Sirsa condemned the remarks as hateful and harmful to the district’s tradition of communal harmony. Despite the outrage, no police action had been initiated till the filing of this report.
In response, newly appointed Superintendent of Police Dr Mayank Gupta convened a high-level meeting with all SHOs and district police officials on Friday. He issued instructions for vigilance and legal action against those misusing religion to incite fear or division.
“Some individuals are using platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube to mislead the public,” SP Gupta said. “Such people will be identified and dealt with under the law. No one will be spared if they spread hate or fake information.”
A special monitoring team led by Additional SP Uttam Pahal, including cyber experts, has been formed to track online content. SP Gupta assured the public that “ensuring the safety of people’s lives and property is our top priority” and urged citizens not to share fake or provocative posts.
