Uttarakhand Police and Haridwar Police stated no desecration of the holy Quran took place following outrage over a viral video by YouTuber Ex-Muslim Sameer, showing burning and stomping on its pages.
The YouTuber, with over 208,000 subscribers and a former Muslim, has been widely condemned for his actions in the video. Social media users, believing he lived in Uttarakhand, demanded immediate action.
Since Monday, 'Ex-Muslim Sameer' trended on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), with claims of a man attempting to burn the holy Quran in Roorkee. Many demanded action against the individual.
We are launching a campaign to file an FIR against "Ex Muslim Sameer" for desecrating the #Quran in a live YouTube video.
— Muslim Youth Squad (@MYSIndia_) May 27, 2024
If you want to join our campaign and want strict action against this devil, please contact us through DM.
Dear Muslim youth, your support is crucial. pic.twitter.com/2XSYsc2VCY
Alt News' co-founder Mohammad Zubair posted on X, tagging Uttarakhand Police to investigate the matter. He stated, “A video is going viral on social media in which a YouTuber from Roorkee is shown burning and destroying the Quran. Roorkee police should look into this matter quickly.”
Haridwar Police posted on X (formerly Twitter), clarifying that Ex-Muslim Sameer, who now goes by the name Siddharth Chaturvedi, has not been living in Padli Gurjar, Roorkee, for the past three years. They confirmed that no such incident of Quran desecration has occurred in Haridwar district.
"In the referred case, Ex-Muslim Sameer has not lived in 'Padli Gurjar' for about three years, and there has been no Quran desecration in Haridwar. Therefore, do not share the case without information; legal action may be taken against you," Haridwar Police stated.
The Uttarakhand Police confirmed no desecration in Haridwar or the Padli Gurjar region in Roorkee. They've launched an investigation and urged the public to refrain from sharing inflammatory videos.
"There has been no incident of desecration of the holy Quran anywhere in Haridwar, and Ex-Muslim Sameer is not living in a place called 'Padli Gurjar.' The matter is under investigation. Strict legal action will be taken against those who post such videos," stated the Uttarakhand Police in their X post.
Who is Ex-Muslim Sameer?
The YouTuber identifies himself as a former Muslim and has changed his name to Siddharth Chaturvedi. His YouTube channel has garnered a significant following, and in his Instagram bio, he describes himself as an "ex-Muslim," "Sanatani," "humanist," and "free thinker."
The authorities have reiterated their commitment to a thorough investigation and warned of stringent actions against individuals spreading misinformation or provocative content. The situation continues to develop as police work to address the concerns raised by the viral video.
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