Bengaluru: With increased circulation of misinformation on social media amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, a false claim alleging that supporters of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) vandalised the family home of Colonel Sofiya Qureshi in Karnataka’s Belagavi, surfaced online. The post, shared from a verified account named Anis Uddin based in Canada, was quickly debunked by the local police and subsequently taken down from X (formerly Twitter).
The post featured a photograph of a ransacked room and read, “Disturbing attack on Muslim Indian Army officer's family. Colonel Sophia Qureshi… has become the latest target of RSS-led hate.” The account seemingly promoted pro-Pakistan content and used a cover image featuring figures like Muhammad Ali Jinnah and General Asim Munir.
X Screengrab
Local Police Debunks Claims
Belagavi police promptly acted after the post went viral, dispatching a team to the officer’s in-laws' residence in Gokak. Authorities found no signs of disturbance or damage. Superintendent of Police Bheemashankar S Guled publicly responded to the viral claim, stating, “This is fake news… I would like to warn the persons involved in creating this post… to delete it immediately.”
The post was deleted shortly afterward. However, as a precautionary step, security was deployed at the residence.
Colonel Qureshi, a senior officer in the Indian Army’s Corps of Signals, is married to Colonel Tajuddin Bagewadi, a native of Belagavi. She came into spotlight, particularly after representing the Indian Army in press briefings following the Pahalgam terror attack.
The misleading post comes amid a wider cyber campaign reportedly led by Pakistan-linked hacker groups. According to reports, Maharashtra’s cyber cell has traced over 15 lakh attempted cyber attacks on Indian infrastructure since the Pahalgam incident, with 150 successful breaches.
Tactics used include malware attacks, GPS spoofing, DDoS attempts, and website defacements. False claims also circulated online, including fabricated reports of power grid failures and strikes on missile facilities.
