BAREILLY, UTTAR PRADESH — Outside the home of Bollywood actress Disha Patani in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, there was a terrible act of violence when unknown people opened fire. A member of the infamous Rohit Godara and Goldy Brar gang has subsequently taken credit for the attack, saying it was in response to what they saw as disrespect for Hindu gods and Sanatan Dharma.
A gang member named Virendra Charan boldly said on Facebook that the shooting was a “trailer.” The post clearly promised more violence by saying, “Next time, if she or anyone else disrespects our religion, we will not let them leave their house alive.”
The post on social media said that Ms. Patani had disrespected spiritual guru Premanand Maharaj. The message wasn’t only for the star; it was also for “all the film artists and people associated with her.” It told them to “be ready to face the consequences” if they did anything else “disrespectful” to their religion and saints in the future. The post ended with a scary promise: “We will do whatever it takes to protect our religion.” We believe that religion and society are always one, and our first obligation is to safeguard them.
The event took place on the night between Thursday and Friday. After the actor’s father, Jagdish Patani, filed a report with the police, they put together five teams to catch the attackers.
The Rohit Godara and Goldy Brar gang is infamous for extortion, murder, and other crimes. It has members in both India and foreign countries. This event is a worrying rise in threats against public people in India, adding a new layer to the already tense conversation about religion and free speech.