Mathura: The family of 10-year-old influencer Abhinav Arora recently claimed he received a life threat from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, but the news has sparked a wave of humour and disbelief online. NDTV, which reported on the claim, has also come under fire, with users criticising the network for giving unnecessary publicity to the young “spiritual orator” and his family’s allegations.
Social media users on X (formerly Twitter) responded with scepticism, with many questioning both the validity of the threat and NDTV’s coverage. Comments ranged from humorous to critical, with one user stating, “150 crore population me se 100 crore logon ko Bishnoi ne dhamki de rakhi hai,” while another remarked, “Is it because he is not going to school?” Some saw it as a publicity ploy, saying, “In religion business, playing the victim is the best option to gain followers.”
Other humorous responses continued to pile on, with comments such as, “Pure publicity stunt to gain sympathy,” and “Lawrence Bishnoi bhi chahta hai ki jaldi se school mein admission ho iska.” Another user sarcastically requested, “Dear #LawrenceBishnoi, can you threaten me too, please… I beg you.”
Another user jabbed at NDTV, writing, “NDTV calling Abhinav Arora an ‘Orator’—even they’re contributing to this PR circus.” The responses didn’t stop there and comments like “Publicity ke liye aur koi raasta nahi tha kya?” added to the sceptical backlash.
The family also referenced a 2023 viral video showing Abhinav being scolded by Swami Rambhadracharya, though Abhinav claimed the Swami later blessed him. However social media users were unconvinced and showed no sympathy. One sarcastic comment suggested, “Spiritual Orator should be replaced with Spiritual Clown,” while others questioned the entire episode as a “publicity stunt.”
Comments like, “In Modiji’s Amrit Kaal, even Sanatanis aren't safe,” and “Publicity ke liye aur koi raasta nahi tha?” highlighted the scepticism surrounding the claims by Abhinav.
NDTV’s coverage of the story has become part of the narrative, with many criticising the network for adding fuel to the publicity push.
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New Delhi/Imphal, Nov 14: The Centre on Thursday reimposed the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in Manipur's six police station areas, including the violence-hit Jiribam, with the Union home ministry asserting that the decision was taken given the "continuous volatile situation" there due to the ongoing ethnic violence.
The Central government notification on the reimposition of AFSPA came the same day the Manipur police announced the seizure of a cache of arms and ammunition from Manipur's Jiribam and Churachandpur districts.
During cordon and search operations in Champanagar, Narayanpur and Thangboipunjre areas of Jiribam district on Wednesday, one 2-inch mortar, thirty-six live barrel cartridges and five empty barrel cartridges were seized, a police statement said.
The police statement also said that one .303 rifle, one 9mm pistol, two short-range locally made cannon, two long-range locally made cannon, five AK 47 live rounds, two 9mm live rounds, four 12-bore cart cases, and eighteen .303 rifle modified live rounds were also seized from H Kotlian village in Churachandpur district.
An area or district is notified as "disturbed" under AFSPA to facilitate operations by the armed forces. AFSPA gives armed forces operating in disturbed areas sweeping powers to search, arrest and open fire if they deem it necessary for the "maintenance of public order".
The decision to reimpose AFSPA was taken given the continuous volatile situation there due to the ongoing ethnic violence, the Union Home Ministry said in the notification.
The police station areas where AFSPA has been reimposed are Sekmai and Lamsang in Imphal West district, Lamlai in Imphal East district, Jiribam in Jiribam district, Leimakhong in Kangpokpi and Moirang in Bishnupur.
On October 1, the Manipur government imposed AFSPA in the entire state, barring 19 police station areas that included these six.
The police stations excluded from the Manipur government's order were Imphal, Lamphal, City, Singjamei, Sekmai, Lamsang, Patsoi, Wangoi, Porompat, Heingang, Lamlai, Irilbung, Leimakhong, Thoubal, Bishnupur, Nambol, Moirang, Kakching, Jiribam.
The Manipur police on Monday said 10 suspected militants were killed in a fierce gunfight with security forces after insurgents in camouflage uniforms and armed with sophisticated weapons fired indiscriminately at a police station and an adjacent CRPF camp in Manipur's Jiribam district.
The suspected militants allegedly abducted six civilians, including women and children from the same district.
Also on Thursday, school and college students across the Imphal valley formed multiple human chains outside their respective educational institutions to protest against the alleged abduction.
Holding black flags and wearing black badges, the students raised slogans demanding immediate safe release of the six and called for action by the Central and State governments. The event was organised by COCOMI Students Front, a Meitei community outfit.
More than 200 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and adjoining hills-based Kuki-Zo groups since May last year.
The ethnically diverse Jiribam, which was largely untouched by the clashes in Imphal Valley and the adjoining hills, witnessed violence after the mutilated body of a farmer was found in a field in June this year.
The disturbed area declaration was in force in Manipur (except the Imphal municipality area) from 2004 till early 2022.
In April 2022, the Manipur government issued a notification where it said the disturbed area tag would no longer be applicable in seven police station areas of Imphal West district, four police station areas under the Imphal East district and one police station area each in the districts of Thoubal, Bishnupur, Kakching and Jiribam.
There are 16 districts in Manipur.
There have been protests and demands for the complete withdrawal of AFSPA from the northeast as well as Jammu and Kashmir for its alleged "draconian" provisions.
Manipuri activist Irom Chanu Sharmila fought against the law by being on hunger strike for 16 years, before ending it on August 9, 2016.