Krishna Devotee Abhinav Arora Faces Lawrence Bishnoi Gang Threats in Social Media Storm
A relatively new victim of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, notorious for his very high-profile intimidation tactics, is young Krishna devotee Abhinav Arora from Mathura in Uttar Pradesh. Abhinav and his family have been subjected to outright threats from the gang in this regard, asking him to stop what they construe as a mockery of Hinduism. The threat, it was first sent through messages on WhatsApp to Arora's father, has taken many different routes and caught huge attention as well, turning viral on social media.
Emergence of Abhinav Arora: A Devotee Under Fire
Abhinav Arora claims to be a devotee of Lord Krishna, has much to say about God over the internet and on social media, but the viral video with Jagatguru Ramabhadracharya Maharaj has put him into the firing line for criticisms from all directions, even getting threatening messages from certain segments saying his presentation is insulting the tenets of Hinduism. Although the original piece presented here focuses on spirituality, that did not prevent criticisms. Tensions have mounted instead.
Also read: Trolled But Unfazed: Abhinav Arora Speaks Out – 'I'm Here to Promote Sanatan Dharma!
The Threat Message: Warning from the Lawrence Bishnoi Gang
In a shocking turn of events, Arora's father received a threatening message on WhatsApp from a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, warning the family to restrain Abhinav from "disrespecting Hinduism" and not to upload content that is deemed disrespecting. This gang is notorious for high-stakes intimidation and other crimes. It warned: "I am from the Lawrence Bishnoi group. I'm warning you now, or else…
A Family in Fear: Effects of Threats on House of Abhinav Arora
Needless to say, Arora's family would be shocked to learn this. His father explained their anxiety and distress after expressing his alarm, explaining to the reporter the impact which has been added into daily life by threats of continuous intimidation from such a feared gang.
Ongoing threat and the fears it induces, coupled with the already existing notoriety attached to the gang, was pushing them to seek the support of law for safety as well as bringing the whole scenario to control.
Also read: Abhinav Arora, Social media fame turns dark as parents warned to 'control him' - Bal Sant
In response to these dangers, as well as the inability of the police to adequately provide assistance, Abhinav and his family resolved to address their grievances to the Mathura Court against a number of YouTubers suspected to have misinterpreted his religious fervor on social media. His lawyer Azad Khakkar said that they have filed a petition under different legal statutes pertaining to seven YouTubers that they believe are spreading misinformation about Arora's religious sentiments.
Since there was no response to this complaint filed on October 19, the family accepted the only apparent course available to them, and they filed a plea in the Mathura Court. The latter has accepted their plea and put their case for a follow-up hearing on November 6, where the police are supposed to brief the court about their investigation so far.
Role of Law Enforcement: Mathura Police's Response
While the Mathura Police Department could have to respond with actions regarding the grievances of the families by the presentation date before court, what has added public pressure on the police to act more aggressively in this case is the frustrations of the family regarding the lack of urgency from local authorities.
Also read: Who is Abhinav Arora? The Controversial 'Bal Sant' Behind Viral Videos and Social Media Buzz
Social Media Fallout: Changing Public Opinion Through Viral Content
Social media, too, has added controversy to the whole episode; people are arguing on how much devotion was it for Arora and in which sense did he show disrespect toward Hinduism. All these arguments highlighted not only the face but also the fact about the freedom of expression concerning religions and how all these cyber discourses create chaos in the lives of those persons.
What is expected from the Mathura Police?
The court has asked the Mathura Police to file a report on November 6 stating the steps taken so far to deal with the threat posed to Arora and his family.
What are the concerns related to the role of social media in this controversy?
The case raises concern over the rapid spread of dangerous interpretations of religious content and how social media affects public opinion and personal safety.
Also read: Abhinav Arora: The 10-year-old Spiritual Sensation or the Parental Puppet?
So far, what legal actions have Abhinav Arora's family taken?
The family has lodged complaints against seven YouTubers in the Mathura Court demanding action for allegedly distorting his devotion to Lord Krishna.
Does India have a history of gang involvement in online religious disputes?
The existence of religious debates is, however, not rare on the internet, but direct gang threats, like those given by the Lawrence Bishnoi group, rarely exist but remind one to be concerned about online security and also responsible content creation.
The case of Abhinav Arora represents the fallout that may be witnessed with the expression of faith in the digital world. It reminds everybody that faith, expression, and public interpretation must achieve a fine balance, particularly when social media is growing in strength as both an inspiration and controversy.
